Nika Stark
by Theabooth
Summary: Nika Stark has always been an unstable genius, a trait she shares with her father Tony Stark, who doesn't even know she exists. So when she gets pulled into the world of the Avengers and her secret comes out, her already wild life takes an even crazier turn as she fights alongside the world famous heroes.(Steve x OC and MCU canon ships)(Warning: rated T for language)
1. Chapter 1: I Can't Go to Work with You

**A/N: So this is a little story that's been floating in my head for a while and I finally decided to write. Hope you like it! Warning: Rated T for language. Disclaimer:I don't own any of the the Avengers characters, though I wish I did**

I waited in the line, impatiently tapping my fingers on a kiosk. At five am, you wouldn't have thought that a bunch of people would be shopping in Walgreens, but apparently it was a popular pastime. In the hand resting at my side, I carried a rubik's cube I'd randomly found in the kid's aisle and a pack of hair pins. The hair pins I planned to use to pick the lock on my bedroom door that had gotten stuck and the rubik's cube… well, that was just because I was on leave from work and boredom had overtaken me.

Finally the line moved up and I paid for my items, ignoring the questioning look the cashier gave me for my purchases. In truth, they definitely weren't the weirdest things I'd ever bought. Several years ago I'd come in to buy ten bouncy balls, a roll of duct tape, a lighter, and a pack of tissues for various projects around my apartment. Perhaps then I deserved the weird looks I got, but I still didn't care. After years of constant bullying, I'd slowly learned to stop caring what people thought.

I dropped the Walgreens bag in the passenger seat and set the car into reverse, flipping on the radio. Even though I thought most of the hosts on the news radio were arrogant dumbasses, I hated to drive in silence so I listened anyway. They were talking about the catastrophe in Slovakia, which had happened over a month ago. They'd interviewed citizens, talked about repairs, and recounted the events so many times I probably talked about it in my sleep. Isn't there anything else to talk about? I wondered to myself.

After a fifteen minute drive, I returned to my apartment, which was located just outside Los Angeles. It was a cheap place, since my mother and I had never had much money and ever since she died, I'd had even less. Besides, I only stayed in the house two months out of the year, so it didn't bother me. The other ten months I worked on a cruise ship as a bar tender. It wasn't the ideal job for my skills in engineering, and everyone wondered why the hell I took it instead of taking the full ride I was offered to UCLA, but I loved it. The work was heavy and kept me occupied, which was good considering I had so many things I thought about when I had free time that I sometimes felt I'd explode. My mind was like a tornado of ideas and I didn't know if I'd ever have the time and money to sort them out.

I stomped up the stairs and unlocked my apartment, flicking on the dim lights. Pulling out the hairpins from my pocket, I headed straight for the bedroom door and shoved the pin into the antique lock system. I'd read up on the lock beforehand, so I knew how to angle the hairpin just right to unlock the mechanism. A loud click sounded and I cheered inwardly, opening the door with a bang. I dropped the bag on my desk and lay down on the bed, staring at the cracks on the ceiling. I'd barely slept four hours in the past night, missing the rhythmic rocking of the waves, and now I felt sleepier than ever. I glanced at the clock, surprised to find it read 6 am. I planned to meet my friend at seven to get coffee before she had to go to work, and I needed to start getting ready if I wanted to look presentable. Groaning, I dragged myself off the bed and pulled on a pair of short shorts and a sleeveless blouse. Even in the middle of fall, the heat in Los Angeles was killer. At least, it was for someone raised in northern California. I ran a brush through my tangled ash brown hair then heated up the curling iron to curl it. With that done, I hastily put on light makeup that accented my brown eyes, which looked irritatingly similar to my father's, and practically ran out the door.

At seven ten, I pulled up to the coffee shop under the glare of my high school best friend, Courtney. Even though we'd graduated only one year ago, I already felt distanced from her, like I barely knew her at all. When she'd called to get coffee, I'd been pretty surprised, since I almost forgot she existed.

"Where have you been!" She snapped, putting her hand on her thin hip. "You're ten minutes late!"

I'd forgotten how obsessed she was with punctuality. It was all part of her OCD. "Sorry. I took longer to get ready than I thought."

She rolled her eyes, seeming less angry and more exasperated. "Of course you did. Don't know why you bothered though; you always look flawless." I could sense an undertone of jealousy in her compliment, but I was used to it from her. At school, other people had often called us "slut and ugly", or at least the bullies did. I wasn't a slut, or I least I didn't classify myself as one, and she wasn't ugly, even if she wasn't… conventionally pretty, but no one asked us to pick our nicknames.

"Thanks. So do you."  
She smiled, and I knew her ire was gone. "Let's just go inside and catch up." She said, looping her arm through mine. "How was your job? Is the Caribbean pretty? Did you meet any hot guys?"

I answered all her questions while we waited on our coffees then turned the questions around when we sat down. I asked vague questions, since I didn't want to admit I didn't even know where she was going to college, but she answered all with bubbly ignorance. She told me about her internship for a news network, ironically the one I hated listening to, and her fun times at UCLA. She also talked about her 'boyfriend', whose name was Jason or Jake or something, but I knew how noncommittal she was and that it wouldn't last.

By the time we were 'officially caught up' as Courtney put it, it was nearby nine o'clock. "Damn it!" Courtney cursed, looking up the time on her phone. "I have to go work at the opening of the Stark mansion and I was supposed to be there at nine."

My heart skipped a beat at the word 'stark'. "What?" I asked.

"Tony's Stark's new house is finally finished and he's moving in, you know cuz the last one got bombed so he rebuilt, and I'm supposed to be there with the rest of the press to observe how they report everything."

"Is that really worth covering on the news?" I asked incredulously. When I thought about, though, anything was better than more coverage of Slovakia.

She shrugged. "Apparently. The mansion is really nice I guess."

"I'm sure it is. He's filthy rich. " It took a great deal of effort to keep from adding 'and yet I'm poor and he's shared none of it.' That would raise too many questions from her.

"Yeah." For an awkward couple of seconds, neither of us knew what to say. We'd lost the easy friendship we'd had a year ago. I was about to say my goodbyes, but suddenly her eyes brightened and she smile. "You should come with me!" She exclaimed.

My eyebrows furrowed. "I can't just come to work with you."

"It's not really work; none of my supervisors would even notice you. Besides, I'm sure plenty of the public will be there."

I struggled to find a way to say no. I neither wanted to spend more time with Courtney nor wanted to see anything to do with Tony Stark, but I'd already told her I had nothing going on all day. There was no way to refuse without being rude. "Are you sure it's alright?" I asked, hoping she'd change her mind.

"Yes. It'll be fun!" She beamed at me and I tried to muster up the enthusiasm to smile back.

"Alight. I'll come."

She dragged me to her car and we drove to Malibu, where Tony's house had been built. With the windows down and the music blaring, I could almost forget where we were going. As we screamed the lyrics in harmony to the wind, it felt like old times again. Our friendship had mostly been a twenty four hour party, filled with drinking, singing, dancing, and a whole lot of laughing. It was a total contrast from what teachers expected from me, an all A student.

Courtney turned off the music, rolled up the windows, and parked half a mile away from the house when we arrived. The press was thick around the mansion, and we struggled to even get near the it. People on each side of me seemed to suffocate me, and I had to take deep breaths to keep from panicking. I'd never thought of myself as claustrophobic, but this situation would make anyone freak out. With her hand clamped around my wrist, Courtney led me on to a satellite bus car thing with her company's logo on it.

"I have to go report to my boss. You wait here; I'll be back." She said apologetically before sprinting off.

I was left alone, so I leaned against the van and listened to the sound of chaos around me. I doubted anyone even knew I was there. A news broadcaster's voice carried loudly over to me, and I chose him to focus upon. He was just talking about the house, how big it was and stuff, and though I didn't care, I listened out of curiosity. I couldn't see who was by the house over the heads of the press, but I could see part of the house. As far as modern houses go, it was pretty awesome. The walls were gray and curved, like so much modern architecture, with large glass windows at irregular intervals. Besides that, it was huge, and even the driveway had more square feet than my whole apartment building.

Suddenly, the commotion escalated. "It's Tony Stark." A broadcaster exclaimed. Much as I hated to admit it, I was dying to see what he looked like in person, to see if I really looked as much like him as my mother used to say. I stepped onto the back bumper of the truck, trying to see over the crowd. The height didn't help much; now I could see heads but nothing else. I did see read hair though, so I knew Pepper was there. I wondered what she'd think of me if she met me. Most likely, she'd hate me, despite the fact I wanted her to like me. There weren't any other kickass business women like Pepper Potts, and I doubted anyone wanted to be on her bad side.

The noise was almost too great, so I crouched down again and covered my ears. How did reporters and celebrities deal with this on a daily basis? I was so glad I didn't have to go through this daily.

For the next five minutes, everything was normal. Courtney was walking back towards me, the press was screaming at Tony to make remarks, I was trying to see over people's heads, and the air felt like air. Then, everything stopped. I didn't see it at the time, but I later saw footage of that instant where invisible bombs whizzed through the air, displacing it, and landed on the ground. They exploded in balls of fire, incinerating everything in a ten foot radius and blowing away everything in the next fifty feet. There were three bombs, one of which landed in the driveway of the house, but I was more concerned with the one that landed fifty feet away from me. The truck I'd been standing near rolled over, thankfully in the opposite direction of me, but I was still pushed into it. On impact, I didn't feel anything besides shock, and I bounced off the side and onto the grass. Somehow, other people standing in front of me had lessened the heat of the bomb, but my skin still felt like it'd fry off. I faded in and out of consciousness.

For maybe ten minutes, all I heard was the murmur of people talking, sirens, and screaming. What had happened? I couldn't quite process enough to know. My head and back were beginning to ache from hitting the van, but I didn't think there were broken bones, just bruises. It was an interesting mix, having the front side of me feel like it was on fire while the back pulsed and ached. I almost wished I were dead, but I liked living too much.

I slowly opened my eyes, having forgotten I'd closed them, and stared at my burnt surroundings. Light hurt my eyes, so I was glad that I was shaded from the sun by some sort of debris. Whatever it was, maybe the side of a car or something, had my legs pinned beneath it, but since it didn't hurt I hadn't even realized. Now that I grew more and more conscious, I shifted, trying to free myself. My heart beat quickened when I realized I couldn't move away. I bucked and twisted, only successfully moving the metal so it made a loud creak.

"Is there anyone else?" I heard a voice nearby say.

"I don't think so. Within this range, it's unlikely anyone survived." Replied someone else.

I wanted to scream 'I survived!' but the shock had frozen my tongue and I couldn't manage to form words.

The footsteps were moving, passing near my head. I quietly managed to croak, "Help." Thankfully, the footsteps stopped. "Did you hear something?" One of the men asked. From his nice shoes and navy pants, I assumed he was a police officer.

"It came from under that shrapnel." The other voice replied. His shoes were normal, so I had no idea who he was or what he was doing here. He sounded familiar, but I couldn't place his voice. Though I'd thought the metal was pretty heavy looking, the second man lifted it with ease, letting light shine onto my hunched figure. I squeezed my eyes shut to block the light.

The man lifted the shrapnel from my legs, and they felt suddenly lighter. I weakly pulled myself to my feet, with the help of his outstretched hand. My eyes slowly adjusted to the sun and I could clearly see the face of the man who'd helped me. I knew I'd seen him before, but I still couldn't place him. I pursed my lips, flipping through all my memories to find a face framed by brown-blonde hair and with sea blue eyes, also who just so happened to be very attractive.

The wheels in my head were still rapidly turning when the policemen put a hand on my back and started to lead me away. I walked a few steps, then it hit me, and I jolted to a stop.

"Steve Rogers! That's who you are! I knew you looked familiar." I exclaimed, turning to face him. He'd already started walking away but he stopped when he heard his name.

"Yes, most people do recognize me."He said with a shrug. He moved as if to walk away, and then stopped, looking closer at me with confusion. "You look somewhat familiar too, though I don't think I've met you before."

"No." I couldn't stop the next words before they slipped out. "But you know my father pretty damn well I bet." Why would I say that, I chastised myself, cheeks reddening. It was true, but I couldn't let the secret get out by giving leads like that. I hurried off with the police officer before Steve Rogers could reply and ask questions.


	2. Chapter 2: Have You Ever Toured LA

**A/N: Here's the second chapter! For the first few chapters, there isn't a lot of interaction with the Avengers but that will definitely come later. Disclaimer: Same as the last chapter.**

Over the next day, I spent a lot of time in the hospital and then at home. I had a mild concussion and bruising along my spine and back, but other than that and a few burns on my arms, I was fine. The doctors called it a miracle, but I just called it karmas apology for all the shit I'd had to go through in my life.

Wednesday afternoon, I sat on the couch with a bowl of ice cream, flipping through channels on my TV and texting a worried Courtney. She'd been too far away for the blast to really hurt her, so now she was super busy at the news center filling in for all the injured. Yet she still found time to constantly text me and ask if I was alright or if I needed anything. I think after the gruesome injures she was reporting, she thought I was just as bad off. After some point, I ignored her texts.

Tired of flipping through aimlessly, I finally settled on the news channel, watching a recap of the events of two days ago. I saw the footage of the three bombs going off, of people getting blown to bits, of medics running around, but I didn't really care about that; I'd been there to witness it. What I did care about was the fact that not only Tony Stark had been filled walking towards his house, but all the other Avengers were there as well. The average person didn't seem to care, but I did. If they were all there, that had to mean something bad was going on that the public wasn't aware of. The bombings were 'of unknown origins' and for 'unknown reasons' according to the reporters, but I wondered if the Avengers knew the whole truth. The thought frustrated me and I knew I couldn't sleep well at night until I knew the answers. I hated not knowing things, or having secrets kept from me, due to my insatiable curiosity. It was a major flaw in me, but there's nothing I could do about it.

The questions floating in my head made me restless, so I decided to go for a walk. Pulling on a sports bra and Nike shorts, I plugged my headphones in my ears and walked onto the landing, carefully locking the door behind me.

Despite the fact the doctors told me I should rest in order to feel better, the walk seemed to revitalize me. In the shade, the heat wasn't too oppressive and the music in my ears relaxed me. Closing my eyes as I walked along one of the copious greenways near my house, I let the world fade away.

In my closed-eyed daze, I must've walked in zigzags, because a heavy force hit me from behind and I almost fell over. The force caught me, though, and righted me. My eyes flew open and I was jolted back to reality.

"I'm so sorry!" I apologized, knowing I was probably at fault. I definitely hadn't been watching where I was going.

"It's fine. I'm sorry I ran into you." The man's voice sounded familiar and I jumped back when I realized it was Steve Rogers again.

"You again?" I asked, hoping I sounded more confused than rude. "Why are you here?"

He smirked quizzically. "Isn't this a public trail?"

"Well…yes, but shouldn't you be with your avenger friends?" It occurred to me then that I could get the answers about what's going on from this guy, if I played my cards right. I'd have to befriend him first, which might be hard, but it would be worth it. I wondered if I should flirt or act super nice or something, but I got the feeling Steve was more real than that. I doubted he'd take me as anything but myself.

"They can do without me for a few hours." He replied with a shrug.

"Fair enough."

"So you know my name, but what's yours?"

"Nika. Nika Marianna."

"Nice to meet you Nika."

Before I knew it and without knowing how, we ended up walking the length of the trail together. We talked about lots of things, from childhoods, favorite pastimes, favorite foods, and then somehow ideals of justice and government. I was surprised to find he mostly agreed with many of my pacifist views, though he didn't think they were realistic. We also agreed about the injustice of the police attack in Texas and various other problems. I'd originally meant to use him for information, but the longer we talked, the more I liked him. Not only was he attractive and polite, but also he was kind inside and a genuinely good person. I wished I could be like that, but I was too manipulative and curious.

When the path ended, we sat down on a bench on the beach and kept talking. That is, until his phone started ringing. He pulled it out, an iPhone 6, and seemed to have no idea what he was doing. I laughed under my breath, wondering how it must be to fast forward from 1940's tech to modern tech. For me, I could probably pick it up fast, since I was a genius wit that sort of thing, but an average person would probably struggle a lot.

"Here." I said, taking the phone out of his hands. I swiped left to answer the call and handed it back.

"Hello?" He answered, his voice a little loud. I tried to hide my laugh.

I didn't understand the exchange since I could only hear one side, but anxiety knotted in my chest when Steve's expression got grimmer and grimmer. I knew it had to be something about the bombs and whatever secret I didn't know about.

With slight difficulty, he ended the call and rose from the bench, emanating seriousness.

"What is it? What happened?" I asked, trying not to sound freaked out.

He opened his mouth but thought better of it and pursed his lips. "Nothing. I just need to return to the Stark mansion." He paused to look at me, something in his eyes softening. "I hope we'll get to talk to each again sometime." Without another word, he started away from the bench in the direction of Stark's house.

"Wait!" I exclaimed, jumping up. "Can I have your phone number or something? So we can definitely talk again?" In modern times, that would probably sound like I was flirting or asking him out, but hopefully with his outdated knowledge of social norms, he wouldn't take it that way. Even if he did, I just really wanted a way to figure out what was happening, and this was my only chance.

"Oh. Sure." He turned around, holding out the phone for me. I pulled out my contacts and added him in. "I warn you though, I'm not very adept at texting. I haven't had much practice."

I laughed. "I don't care." I wanted to shake hands or hug him or such, but I didn't want to seem weird. Instead, for a goodbye, I awkwardly waved. He waved back, we exchanged goodbyes, and he left. I sunk onto the bench, entirely blown away as I realized what had happened. I'd just had a two hour conversation with a superhero, and now he was my friend. It seemed too surreal.

My head pounded from overuse and my back ached. In light of my injuries, I'd been supposed to take it easy. I'd pretty handedly ignored that advice at this point.

Groaning, I rose from the bench, massaging my head with my fingers and taking a few swaying steps. I righted myself and kept going all the way back to my house, ignoring my aches and pains. With music blaring through my headphones, it wasn't so bad. I returned to my house by mid afternoon, and napped for several hours.

I woke up with a growling stomach and foggy eyes a little bit after the sun had set. I perused my fridge, but nothing appetizing was there. Lettuce, cheese, milk, mixed vegetables, watermelon: none of the things there seemed enough to make a meal. An image popped into my head of a noodles and I suddenly found myself craving it. Hopping into my car, I drove to my favorite Chinese restaurant, all the while trying to think of what to text Steve. I couldn't just say "hi", that felt to informal and neither could I say "what's up" because he probably didn't even know what that meant. But I had to think of something, else I'd never figure out what was going on. Besides that, I admitted to myself, I liked Steve and wanted to be friends with him or maybe…more.

By eight o'clock, I was slurping noodles outside a sketchy Chinese restaurant on the edge of LA. With a full stomach, I was able to overcome my hesitancy.

" _Hi._ " I texted Steve. " _It's Nika._ " After it sent, I wondered if his phone had extra security measures, and if, like, the US government would now know I was talking to him and send someone to follow up on me. It seemed unlikely, but not implausible. At the very least, I had a feeling one of the other avengers might see the text. My mind immediately flew to Tony. I chuckled slightly to think that he might see my name and my text, but he wouldn't know who I was and whose I was.

I'd finished the noodles and thrown out the trash by the time Steve texted back. " _Hello._ " He said. " _How do I make someone a contact in my cell phone_?"

I laughed under my breath, and proceeded to send him instructions for something that seemed so intuitive to me. I texted " _brb_ " then remembered he probably didn't know what that meant and added "( _that means be right back which means I'll talk to you in a few minutes_ )"

Putting my phone away, like the law abiding citizen I was, I drove away in my car to get ice cream from one of my favorite frozen yogurt places. As I ate it and texted Steve from the shop, I suddenly got an idea of how to see him again. He was probably very busy, though, so I didn't know it he'd agree.

" _Have you had a tour of LA before?_ " I asked.

" _No_."

" _I can show you around then! I've only lived here a few years but I know a lot of cool places. How long are you staying here_?"

There was a long pause, probably him thinking over his answer. " _I don't know how long I'm staying. I'm very busy though, so I don't know if I'll have time_."

I refused to take no for an answer. " _Come on! It'll be fun. Everyone needs time off._ "

" _There are important things happening, but I'll try_."

" _Great! When are you free tomorrow_?"

" _I don't really have a schedule. When are you free_?"

" _All day. I'm on vacation from work_."

" _But weren't you working a few days ago_?"

" _What_?"

" _You were reporting at Stark's house_."

" _Oh no I wasn't working there. I'm not a reporter. I work on a cruise ship_."

" _Then why were you there_?"  
" _It's complicated_. _My friend dragged me there. She's an intern for a reporter there and she wanted to hang out with me so she invited me_. _Anyway, do you want to meet tomorrow afternoon? Maybe at three_?"

" _Unless_ _something happens that I have to deal with, I'll see you there. Where are we meeting_?"

" _That bench_?"

" _Okay_."

There was a long pause where I drove home, but when I got there, we texted until late into the evening. His responses were slow, but not irritatingly slow; he seemed to be getting the hang of texting. My nap had invigorated me and we had endless things to talk about it seemed, so I was surprised when he said it was midnight so we should sleep. I agreed and the constant buzzing of my phone stopped for the first time in a while. I showered quickly and slid under the sheets, falling asleep quickly, something that hadn't happened since I left the cruise ship.

The next day, I woke up way past noon and cleaned, removed the doorknob on my stupid door and fixed it, and played with the rubik's cube, before I got ready and headed out. Just because I could, I put a little more makeup than usual and fixed my hair in loose waves to look extra nice. Also, rather than be wearing my lounging around the house clothes, I put on a casual lace skirt and navy tank top. With one final look in the mirror, I grabbed my purse and headed out the door.

We met by the bench, which my legs protested by about half way there. From there, we kept talking and I led him down the beach towards the city. On the way, I pointed out landmarks and places, like that was truly the purpose of us hanging out. We talked and laughed with the ease of lifelong friends, and for the first time in a while, I felt totally carefree and happy. All goals to find out Avengers secrets totally slipped from my mind.

"So, I've told you about my parents and my life, but you've barely mentioned your family." He commented when we stopped for kabobs in a Greek place off the beach.

"Well. It's kind of painful to talk about sometimes." I replied, my happiness dimming slightly as I relived memories. "My mother died over a year ago, and we were never very close, but it still hurt. She was a brilliant scientist but that was overshadowed by her partying and addiction to drugs. She couldn't keep a job, no less take care of a child. I grew up mostly alone, learning about the world through trial and a lot of error. But I still loved her, I swear. Unfortunately, right before she died in a car crash, we had a fight and I…the last thing I told her was 'I hate you'." My voice broke near the end and I stared at my lap, fighting back tears.

"I'm so sorry. What about your father?" Steve asked, probably trying to move to a less painful subject so I wasn't upset. He didn't know that that topic was just as bad.

"He was never around. I never even met him. He doesn't even know I exist." I replied. Even if the answer was vague, I hoped it'd be enough.

"But you said I knew him, back that day we met. What did you mean?"

"I…he's a prominent scientist so I know you've talked to him." I replied, my voice still shaking from talking about my mom. Please don't make the connection, I prayed inwardly.

Thankfully, he sensed it was hard topic, so he changed the subject. "When were you born? I forgot to ask before."

"November 8th of 1995. I'll be twenty next month. What about you?" I smirked, knowing his answer would be very different then mine.

" July 4th of 1918."

I laughed. "Gosh that's so long ago. You're so old. Don't worry though, you still look twenty."

He laughed slightly too. "Thanks."

We lapsed back into easy conversation, but I couldn't help but still feel I little bogged down by the memory of my mother. It did still hurt me that our relationship had been so poor and ended with no reconciliation. I'd never respected her, but I did love her, and I wish I'd had a chance to tell her. Lesson learned, hard as it was. I'd live life for the moment now, knowing that the moment could end at any minute. And I didn't want to regret what I'd never said ever again. As I looked at Steve and my heartbeat quickened, that ideology seemed hard to follow, lest I blow up everything we had now, but follow it I would. Someday soon, I'd tell him how I felt. And after that, I'd tell him who my father was, no matter the consequences.

Since he was wearing a hoodie and sunglasses, no one in the city recognized Steve as we walked past, so I got to take him to many touristy destination. It felt like a scene from the movie Starstruck, except Steve wasn't a teenage pop star. By the time four hours had passed (how had that even happened?), Steve got a call that he needed to go to a meeting. It occurred to me then that neither of us had brought a car and so getting back would take forever. The thought made my legs and back ache in alarm.

"You know, in theory, we probably should have thought of how we were going to get back."

He nodded. "Too late now. I'll just call Friday to pick us up."

"Friday? Us?" I was heavily confused. Who the hell was Friday? Was he meaning to take me back to Stark's mansion? That seemed like a bad idea.

"Friday is Stark's AI. And yes, us. I'm not just going to leave you here. He can take us back to the base and then he'll take you home."

"Alright."

He called Tony Stark and I heard snippets of the conversation: something about Friday not being Steve's personal slave and Steve saying it was important for him to be there so 'give him the damn car'. I guess he finally agreed, because Steve hung up the phone and ten minutes later a self driving car pulled up to the curb in front of us.

"Impressive." I muttered to myself, admiring the glossy silver exterior and sleek design. I absolutely loved cars and wished I had time to examine this one. I'd never actually seen a self-driving car , so I wanted to figure out how it worked. Steve didn't seem to care much about the mechanics of the car, simply slipped into the back. I hurried after him, feeling peoples' eyes on my back. I hating being stared at, but I didn't blame them. It wasn't everyday saw a car that drove itself.

"Hello." Said a computerized voice when I slammed the door shut. "My name is Friday. Nice to meet you Nika Marianna."

"How the hell does she know my name?" I asked Steve incredulously.

The computer responded before he could. "I scanned your face and found your name from my database."

Mildly creeped out, I muttered an 'okay' and stared out the window.

Within ten minutes, we returned to the house. In that short span of time, Steve's expression turned graver and graver. The laughing friend that I'd had before was gone to be replaced by a serious soldier. I missed my friend.

We parked in the front of the house and I glanced up at it through the window. It was lovely in a modern sort of way, and I wondered if it was the same design on the inside. I wished I could go inside, even if that could end disastrously, but I knew serious soldier wouldn't allow that. I got the sense that he was always serious like this when he was doing Avenger stuff, but it still made me worry. Why was he here? I asked myself for the billionth time. I'd forgotten my quest while we'd been touring, but now I remembered it. The time was right in my eyes to bring it up.

"What's going on?" I asked before he left the vehicle.

He turned, his expression hard. "Terrorists and bombs. Enemies we can't handle." Something in his eyes shifted. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It's classified"

" What?" I breathed, my heart speeding up. 'Stuff we can't handle'? What was that supposed to mean? Now, I was definitely scared. Also ten times more curious.

Before I could formulate a more coherent response, Steve slipped out of the vehicle and closed the door behind him, striding towards the house.

I opened my own door, despite Friday's instructions to stay in so he could take me home, and chased after him. "Wait." I said. "What's that supposed to mean? You can't just say something like that and not explain."

He stopped and turned to face me, seeming impatient to get inside but not wanting to be impolite. "I'm sorry, Nika, but I can't tell you. I'm sworn to secrecy."

"Your loyalty is lovely but would it really be so bad if you told me?"

"I can't betray my country." He said with so much conviction I almost rolled my eyes. At the same time, I found it admirable he cared so much. In his position, I would probably do the same thing. But I wasn't in his position; I needed to know.

"Am I so untrustworthy?" Guilty pricked in my stomach when I realizing I'd slipped into manipulative mode. He was too nice to deserve that.

"No, of course not. But, sorry, I don't know that much about you. Not that I don't trust you! I just can't tell you anything if you aren't cleared for it." He was usually so composed; it was almost funny to see him stutter.

"Please. I hate not knowing things." Inwardly, I cringed at how bitchy that sounded.

"I'm sorry-"

"Are you coming Rogers? Wait, who's the girl?" A voice said from behind Steve, cutting him off. I glanced back, curious who it was. From all the TV coverage of New York I'd seen, I knew it was that guy Hawkeye or Clint Barton who was one of the Avengers.

"I'm coming." He said over his shoulder. "Sorry…I have to go." He told me before hurrying in beside the Hawkeye dude.

I could've sworn I head Hawkeye mockingly say "is she your girlfriend?" and Steve reply with a "shut up." Chuckling slightly, I stepped back into the car and Friday drove me home, where my dark, empty apartment was waiting.

I thanked Friday, which felt weird since she was a computer, and the car drove away. A thousand thoughts whirling through my head, I got ready for bed in a daze. I felt irritated that I'd been so close to getting the answers I needed, but that irritation was overshadowed by the happiness I felt about hanging out with Steve Rogers. He was polite yet funny, and kinder than any guy I'd met. It was way too soon to say I loved him, but I knew my feelings for him were beyond friendship.


	3. Chapter 3: I Want To Know What's Goin On

**A/N: Disclaimer: Same as before**

A month passed where Steve and I texted religiously, rarely finding times to see other, but calling occasionally. With no current job, I had too much free time. I fixed the doorknob, finished matching the colors on the rubik's cube, and tinkered with my car, having nothing else to do. I loved working on a cruise ship, but the two month break was just awkward. It was way too long to spend without working in a job.

At about one, I got a frantic text from Courtney.

" _Since my supervisors are mostly out from injuries, I have to go interview someone by myself. I'm so freaked out. Will u come with me_?" I could hear the panic in her text. She never had been a shy girl, but she didn't like doing new things, so new social situations bothered her. With that problem, her wanting to be a newscaster baffled me.

" _I don't think I'm allowed to just do that_."

" _No one has to know. Please, Nika, I need u_."

I honestly had nothing to lose by going. " _Ok, whatever. Who are you interviewing_?"

" _Tony Stark_."

My heart dropped. Crap. What had I just agreed to? " _Uh ok. What time? Can you come pick me up_?" Maybe Steve will be there, I comforted myself.

" _2 pm. Could you just meet outside the news center_?"

" _Where's that?"_ She texted me directions _. "Kks I'll meet you there like 1:45_ "

I ate a quick lunch/dinner and hopped in my car, headed to the interview of doom. I had no idea what to expect, yet there was a part of me that was excited, thinking this may actually be fun.

When I reached the news center, a generic tan building among many other tan buildings, Courtney was waiting for me with a car and a camera man. I parked mine, hoping I wouldn't get ticketed or towed, and got into her car beside the camera dude. He was older, with a greasy looking beard and questionable hygiene. I instinctively leaned away and looked at my phone so he wouldn't talk to me. On my phone, there was one unopened message from Steve that I read with a small smile. He apologized for having to leave so quickly the night before and asked when he could see me again. I replied that I was free tomorrow, and exited my messages to scroll through Twitter.

After a silent drive, we reached the Stark mansion and were given security clearance. When we walked up to the front door, Courtney twirled her hair around her finger, obviously nervous. I put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

Jarvis let us in and said he'd get Tony while we waited in the foyer. Courtney was silent, still twirling her hair, and camera man was just standing there staring at nothing. I looked around, admiring the architecture. The walls were curved, in an abstract way, and the foyer overlooked the living room, where white couches with colorful throws surrounded a large holographic TV. The pillows upon the couch were rumpled, and the side tables askew, so I wondered if that's where the Avengers had met last night. It was an odd thought, why did I care?, but it seemed so surreal to me that the 'earth's mightiest heroes' had convened in someone's living room.

Tony came down the stairs, which started above the foyer, and looked at us with mild disdain. "So you guys are the people from the news?" He asked.

Courtney nodded. "I…just wanted to ask you a few questions about your thoughts on the bombings a few days go."

He nodded tersely and gestured for us to sit in the living room. When I passed Tony, he gave me an odd look, scaring me slightly.

"You look familiar." He mused.

Inwardly, I was panicking, worried he'd recognize me, but I kept a calm façade on the outside. "Maybe you knew my mother. Edith Marianna?"

He shifted his stance. "Ah yes. I remember her. Brilliant scientist."

Also good at other things, I thought to myself without wanting to. "Yes…" I wasn't sure there was anything else to say, so I awkwardly walked away and sat on the couch away from where Tony and Courtney would sit. From the corners of my eyes, I looked at the rest of the space, the stairs, the doors leading to other rooms, and the lack of other people. Disappointment washed over me; I really wanted to see Steve.

For the next thirty minutes, I listened and watched as Courtney interviewed Tony Stark. At first, she seemed nervous and stumbled over her words, but eventually she found her rhythm. Tony on the other hand was comfortable the whole time, which made me wary. He answered that they didn't knew who set off the bombs, but were still heavily searching, yet I knew that had to be a lie. His answer was too scripted to be real. All the while throughout the interview, I also shamelessly stared at Tony. Since we were interviewing him, it seemed completely normal, but I was doing it for different reasons. It felt so strange to be in the same room as my father without him knowing he wasn't my father. I daydreamed about what it would've been like to grow up with him as my father. I would've been rich, probably spoiled, and probably a very different person. If I'd grown up in security like this, I never would've been bullied endless and beat up after school. I never would've dallied in alcohol and drugs and gotten addicted. I never would've had to sleep with five ratty blankets because the heating bill never got paid and the apartment was freezing. I never would've woken up in the morning wondering if my mother was home rather than with another man or if there was anything good to eat in the fridge or how I'd pay for new books for school. If I'd been raised as a billionaire's daughter, I never would've suffered like I had, and though I knew it wasn't my father's fault since he never knew I existed, I couldn't help but blame him. I despised him.

As Courtney wrapped up the interview for the camera, I felt eyes on the back of my head. I turned, spotting Steve and another Avenger, the female one called Black Widow. He was listening to her, but his eyes were on me. I smiled slightly, waving indiscreetly. He smiled back and Natasha looked over her shoulder at me. Her expression was guarded, like she didn't know what to think of me, and she looked back at Steve for clarification. He shook his head and they kept talking.

Hurt that he didn't come talk to me, I helped Courtney and camera guy pack up the camera stuff after the interview finished with a sour expression on my face. An expression that faded the moment I made eye contact with Steve and he waved me over. Trying to seem composed, I finished the packing and strolled over.

"Hello." I said smoothly.

"Nika! This is my friend Natasha Romanoff." He gestured to the woman and she nodded.

"Nice to meet you." She said. I couldn't tell if it was sincere or not.

"You too."

She got a call on her Bluetooth and gave a look of apology to Steve before she walked off.

"So…why are you here?" Steve asked, scratching his head.

"My friend, the one who works with the news, asked me to come. So I did. "

"What was she doing here?"

I wondered if this would be a good time to bring up secrets or not. "Interviewing Tony Stark about the bombings." I searched his eyes for a reaction, but got none. "And I could tell he didn't tell the truth. Please, Steve, I want to know what's going on." I placed a hand on his arm, desperate for information.

Conflicting emotions flashed across Steve's face. "You aren't an agent so I can't tell you."

"Would it really be so dangerous? Is it really okay to keep information from the people? I thought that was the kind of government overstep that you were against!"

He exhaled heavily. "You know what: you're right. It's not right to keep this from you. But if I'm going to tell you, we might need a little time and your friend is staring at you so I suppose you need to go."

I could have leapt for joy, I was so happy to be victorious. And this time, I'd said what I thought was true and not tried to manipulate him. Maybe I should try that more often.

Now I was more curious than ever, but first I needed to address Courtney. At this point she was probably jealous and confused as hell, wondering how I ended up in a one on one conversation with Captain America. There was way more to it than she could guess, or that I wanted her to know.

"Courtney?" I called to her across the room. She sped over like a rocket on steroids, smiling flirtatiously at Steve.

"Yes? Are you going to introduce me?" She asked, maintaining the smile.

A good friend would've included her and helped her befriend Steve too, but I didn't really care about our friendship and her flirting made my vision red with jealousy. "Courtney meet Steve Rogers. Steve Rogers meet Courtney. Courtney, you can just go back to work without me; I'll get a ride on my own. Wouldn't want you to get back late. Bye." Though I spun it like I was looking out for her, Courtney knew I was just trying to get rid of her.

"Fine." She said, her features scrunching into an unattractive frown. "I'll go then. Nice to meet you Mr. Rogers." She flounced away, head high, and left with the camera guy. Steve looked between the two of us, bewilderment clear on his face.

I shrugged. "You don't want to know." Checking around us first to see if any of his Avenger friends were there, I asked, "Now can you tell me what's going on?"

"Let's go down to the beach, where we won't be…overheard."

We slipped out of the house and walked down from the house to the nearby house. We stood in the sand in a secluded place, where the sound of the waves would keep anyone from overhearing us. Having a feeling this would be a long explanation, I sat down in the sand to listen and he sat beside me.

"Alright." He said, all serious and Avengery again like he'd been the night I tried to get the truth from him. He launched into a description of all that was going on, one that filled me with dread. He told me that a real terrorist group, unlike the Mandrin, with supernatural powers stemming from a powerful gas from another realm was attacking every Avenger's base and operative. They were destroying all of our defenses, thinking that we planned to attack them with it. Even worse than that, they were targeting the country's most brilliant scientists and minds, which couldn't be replaced. All this was problem enough by itself, but the real threat wasn't really the terrorists. It was the impending inter-realm war involving five stones called the 'mind-stones'. The defenses we'd been building up had been for this purpose, not the terrorists, and without them we had no hope. Even with them, Earth didn't have much hope. We had to rebuild them, but the time was running out and so were the resources, with the war predicted to occur in a maybe ten years. We were on a crash course for obliteration, and even the Avengers couldn't save us this time.

After he was done, I was speechless. Was he really saying that the apocalypse would probably happen in my lifetime? My mind was everywhere at once, with a thousand questions fighting for attention. I decided to more or less ignore the whole 'war among all the realms' and focus on the terrorists. "So…how many bombings have there been? How many scientists have died?"

He sighed sadly. "Way more than had been reported on the news. The attack on Tony's house was one of the most minor, since they knew he would probably have defenses against it. That's our project right now: making defenses against the terrorists, when we really should by making a defense against a war. As for scientists, countless have died, especially those concerned with shielding technology."

"That sounds pretty…dire. Have you had any success creating a shielding against their bombs?"

"Yes. At least, Tony thinks he has. But he's the only one who seems to understand how to make it, since few other people's minds work like his. Maybe Bruce could've helped, but he's disappeared. Now it's only Tony, and his shield isn't even fully reliable since we aren't really sure what we're dealing with. "

In silence, we both stared out to the sea, not knowing what to say. Never had the mood between us been so negative, and I hated it. It had taken him so long to tell me what was happening that the sun was already low in the sky. I faced Steve.

Something came over me then, when I looked at his face and thought about the end of the world. I was reminded how short life was and how I'd vowed to never let myself regret anything again. And if I only had a few years left, there were quite a few things I needed to get done before I'd not have regrets. "Steve." I said, surprised by the sound of my own voice. "According to you, we're reaching the end of the timeline and I want to live every moment to the fullest. I've only known you for a few days, but I really like you. You're kind, honorable, and the best person I've ever met."

"Nika, I-" He started, but before I could lose my nerve, I leaned over and kissed him, shutting him up. He seemed hesitant at first, and I worried he'd reject me or if he just had never kissed a girl before, but then he leaned forward, kissing me harder.


	4. Chapter 4: Traitor

**A/N: Sorry for an grammar mistakes- I try to edit best I can but I have no beta so there's bound to be stuff I miss. If you see a mistake please tell me! Disclaimer: Same as before**

Another month passed, and it was the happiest of my life. Though he was busy seeking out one of the terrorists' main suppliers, who the Avengers thought was based in California, Steve managed to also find time for me. It seemed to me that ever since he returned from the ice, he hadn't had any good friends to just spend time with. I became that person, and he told me all the stuff he'd bottled up for the past few years. He told about the struggle of conforming to the new culture and trying to keep his integrity and morals. He also told me one day about Peggy, the girl who he'd left in his time and found again as an old lady. I could tell he loved her, even still, but I wasn't jealous. It was possible to love more than one person at a time. That wasn't to say I knew he loved me, even though he'd formally asked me to go out with him like a gentleman would. We just hadn't been together long enough for me to tell. I didn't even think I loved him this early in the relationship, a relationship which we kept secret from everyone besides ourselves.

On a lazy Friday afternoon, I lay on my couch with a bowl of ice cream binge watching Law and Order. There were a thousand, well, more like five, things I needed to do around the house but I couldn't be motivated to do them. I put down the bowl, picking up a small self made taser I'd been working on lately. Steve's speech about possible war reminded me that I needed to be prepared to fight, even if I hated that idea. Besides that, I just wanted to make a taser so I could avoid getting abducted or raped in the slums where I lived.

A knock sounded on the door and I perked up, wondering if it was Steve surprising me. He'd never done that before, always wanting to do the polite thing and call first. I rubbed at a stain on my tank top, shrugged, and opened the door.

Courtney stood there, an almost fake smile plastered on her face and a box of donuts in her hand. I stared at her, wondering what the heck was going on. I hadn't talked to her very much over the past month, so I didn't understand why she still pursued me. Didn't she have other friends?

"Uh…hey Courtney! What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to hang out with my best friend. Can I come in? I brought donuts." I let her in, but not without letting down my guard. There was something going on here and it seemed suspicious. Back when we were friends, she'd always do nice things before she went to do something without me or did something that she knew would hurt me.

She plopped down on the couch beside me, holding her donut and handing me one. We watched the show for hours, chatting on and off, until at about four she leapt from the couch.

"Time for us to get ready!" She said cheerfully.

"For what?"

"We're going to a party."

No one told me about that. "We are?"

"Yes. You're been such a hermit since you got back; you need to come out and party with us college kids."

The side of me that was inclined to be lazy for the rest of the day protested, but I couldn't ignore my curiosity and desire to find out what she was hiding. The only way to find out would be to play along. "What kind of party?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. We'll find one. "

She led me to my closet, picking out one of my smaller dresses, one covered in sequins (why the heck did I buy that?) for her and a bodycon navy dress for myself. We did each other's makeup, both with dark smoky eyes and vibrant lips, and fixed our hair before we choked down some ramen and hopped in her car to go.

On the way, I tried to pry the reason she was being nice out of her, but she just evasively told me she just was glad we were friends. A knot of dread formed in my stomach, but I pushed it away, wanting to enjoy the evening. I hadn't been to a party, a real one, since high school.

We arrived at the doorstep of some student at UCLA's house and entered, finding ourselves among bunches of drunk college students dressed up and partying hard. We definitely didn't stick out, and I was glad since it meant no one stared at me.

Time passed and I danced, drunk, laughed, and generally partied. I hadn't known anyone there except Courtney but people were so drunk that I easily made friends. I myself because more and more drunk by the hour, to the point where the world started to spin and everything was hilarious.

"Hey guys, wanna go upstairs nd get away from the noise?" I stuttered to my new friends, pointing up the stairs. There were probably already twenty couples having sex inhabiting the floor, but I didn't care. I just wanted a break.

They all nodded and some followed me up, all of us laughing like five year olds. At the top of the stairs, I bumped into a guy wearing black, with a somewhat creepy look on his face. He grabbed my arm and flipped it over, glancing at my arms, probably noticing the scars from where I'd used to inject heroin. After a stint in rehab and a lot of self-determination, I'd finally overcome that addiction.

I shifted away. "Get away from me." I slurred.

"Hey I've got the thing for you, girl." He said. "Come on."

My drunk mind was curious, so I followed him, despite how stupid that was. For all I knew, he was a murderer or rapist, but just the same I followed him to a bathroom in the corner of the second floor. I surveyed the room, where his goods, all the drugs and needles and pills, were kept, and my heart starting beating like crazy. Somewhere in the back of my mind, a voice was screaming to run, but my reflexes were too dampened for that.

He offered a price, a good one as I knew from experience. I hated myself for it later, but I started considering it. Would it really be so bad? I asked myself. It would; I would probably relapse and get addicted again. Yet, in the moment it sounded so good. I remembered how go it had felt when I'd been on the drug years ago, and suddenly I craved it. Ripping my wallet from my bag, I forked over the cash and reached out for my prize. Then it hit me. How could I be giving in so easily? I was supposed to be strong, have overcome this temptation and be immune. Horrified by myself, I ran from the room, down the stairs, and out the door.

The house was near the city itself, so I ran into the outskirts of it, tears streaming down my face. The cool air was sobering, giving me a clearer head to be ashamed of myself. I'd thrown away all the progress I thought I'd made in the span of a few seconds. If I'd done it once, this could happen again, and maybe next time I wouldn't get away. I might ruin my life all over again. And I hated myself for that. Was I really so out of control of my own body?

Collapsing beside a store, I cried my eyes out and sobbed to myself. Shame and fear pierced my heart like knifes, stealing my breath. Somehow, I eventually cried myself out and fell into an alcohol speeded sleep.

I woke up around four am, according to my Iphone clock, with a pounding headache and a sick stomach. After I ran to a nearby trashcan and threw up in it, I shakily returned to my spot, trying to figure out what to do now. I was emotionally screwed up and disoriented, so I needed to go somewhere where I could safely sleep and think it out. A random store in the slums of LA was not that place.

I checked my phone for texts and found six from Courtney. " _Where are you?_ " She asked at eleven. The next four texts were along the same lines. Then, at one am, she asked, " _Are you with a guy? ;) I'll stop bugging you then. I have to go home but you enjoy yourself. See you later_." So, I thought to myself, now I can't count on her for a ride. Likely, she was deep asleep and wouldn't be inclined to pick me up.

I considered calling a taxi, but just didn't feel up to it. I didn't want them to think this was a walk of shame sort of thing, and I probably looked like it. I replayed the events of the night before and tears clouded my eyes again. I hated being so weak, but I couldn't manage to pull myself together. I needed some support or comfort, someone to tell me it was okay. Only one name popped into my mind, and I clicked on his contact, finger hovering over 'call'. I didn't want to wake him, but this was urgent. I pressed the button, and the phone started ringing. I pressed it to my ear, fearing he wouldn't pick up.

On the fourth ring, he finally picked up. "Nika?" He said, his voice sleepy.

"Hey Steve. I-I need you to come pick me up. Please."

My voice was thick with tears, and I had a feeling he could tell from how his voice suddenly turned urgent. "Why? What happened? Are you ok?"

"I'm f-fine. Please just come. I'll explain then-n." A pounding headache along with tears streaming down my face made it rather difficult to talk.

"I'll try to be there as soon as I can, but I'll have to get out without the others noticing. Where are you?"

I looked at the road signs near a nearby intersection. "On the corner of Katherine Street and Jamaica Street in front of-" I looked to the sign above me. "Jane's Barber Shop."

"Uh…how can I find that? I don't know where any maps are."

"Just plug it into your phone."

"I can do that? How?"

For what felt like the first time in years, I cracked a smile. I gave him a step by step explanation and he promised to be there as soon as possible before hanging up. I sniffled, used a tissue from my purse, and sat back down beside the store.

I waited maybe twenty minutes before a car pulled up in front of the store and I saw Steve in the driver's seat. I hopped up and jumped in the passenger seat, tired by even that small moment. Seeing Steve was almost too much, and I scrunched up my eyes to keep from crying again.

He didn't press me for information, which I appreciated, and instead just drove me home in silence. We parked in front of my apartment complex, still in silence. He walked me up and then I just couldn't take it anymore; I flung myself into his arms. "Oh my god Steve." I said, fresh tears rolling down my face. "I almost ruined my life. I can't believe I almost gave in. I'm so dumb. So weak. Oh my god."

"Shh" He calmed, stroking my hair.

We stayed like that for a couple minutes, before I dragged him inside and told him what happened in choked up bursts. I'd never told him about my addiction before, worried he he'd judge me since he himself probably never would let himself be tempted, but now I didn't care. And to my relief, he didn't seem to judge me for a second, just listened.

"Thanks." I said when I finally got everything out and we were silent.

He furrowed his brow. "For what?"

"For listening and not judging me."

"Why would you think I'd judge you for this?" A hint of hurt was present in his voice.

"Because…You're so perfect."

He laughed without real humor. "I'm far from perfect, Nika. And, besides, I would never think poorly of you for something like this. Really I would never think poorly of anyone, especially if they tried so hard to stop like you have."

He was right, and I should've trusted him with my secret in the first place. I really should trust him with all my secrets, if I wanted our relationship or our friendship to last. There was nothing more damaging to two people than a secret.

"Steve…" I started, gathering up the courage to tell him about my father. Now seemed like the perfect time, since I already was confessing things and I had his attention. Then, before I could form the words, his phone rang. I cursed inwardly.

"Sorry." He said. "I have to pick this up."

"I understand."

He picked up the phone and went into the other room while I made some coffee. Five minutes later, he returned, his expression serious. "I have to go. There's a new lead for the hideout that I need to follow up on this afternoon. Will you be okay?"

I nodded, really meaning it. "I think so. Thanks for listening. I'm sorry for waking you up."

"You're more important to me than a good night's sleep." He kissed me fleetingly and hurried out the door, already in mission mode. I sipped my coffee quietly, wondering how the other missions of the avengers were going. Steve told me all about his missions to find the terrorists' California hideout and answered any questions I had, but I didn't know specifics about the others. I knew Tony Stark had just returned from trying to add defenses to a base (which ended up failing), Black Widow was tracing some men who were suspected of being in league with the terrorists, Thor was off the planet but doing research in Asgaurd to find out what substance they had, and the other Avengers were helping one of these missions. Other than that, I was clueless and I ached for the information I'd only have if I were an Avenger, which I was neither cut out for nor wanted to be.

Now that I'd been able to talk everything out, I felt calmer, less on the verge of totally panicking. It was strange to me that in two months I could grow to depend on someone as much as I depended on Steve. He was the only person I had left, and without him I'd be lost again. That's why I tried not to think about what exactly he did on missions, knowing it probably was more dangerous than I handle.

I took a shower, washing away the smeared makeup and tearstains on my face. My headache slowly alleviated and I began to feel happy again, humming as I blow dried my hair. Life didn't seem quite as bad as it had hours ago.

For the rest of the afternoon, I went on a walk down the trail where Steve and I met. The trail was surprisingly full for a Friday afternoon, but I ignored the other runners. I was content to be alone with my footsteps and my music. I returned home and grabbed some leftovers from my fridge before flipping on my TV. Courtney stood in the center of the screen, a stage smile plastered on her face. My eyes widened: why didn't she tell me she was going to get her own segment on the news?

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen." She said, sounding nervous. "My name is Courtney Kasekbo and tonight I'm here in the studio with our six o'clock segment: celebrity news," The dumbest the segment in my opinion, "You all know Tony Stark from his inventions and his Iron Man suit, as well as his many achievements with the other Avengers." She went on to list some of those achievements for viewers who must've spent the past five years living under a rock. "And you all probably don't know a girl named Nika Marianna." My breath caught in my throat. Why the hell was she talking about me? "She graduated in the class of '14 as Valedictorian. Throughout her high school career, her teachers called her 'gifted', 'naturally brilliant' and 'a genius'. Her friends saw her differently, because outside of school she loved to party and often was seen drinking a good deal. About this point, I bet you're wondering why you care about Nika Marianna and what she has to do with Tony Stark." I wasn't sure if my heart was still beating. I knew exactly what she was about to tell the world, and though I didn't know how she knew, her telling this information could change my life for better or for worse. "Well, folks, I'm here tonight to tell you just that. Medical, behavioral, and physical evidence all prove that miss Nika Marianna is…" She paused for effect, and in that moment I wanted to kill her more than I'd ever wanted to kill anyone. "…Anthony Stark's daughter." There it was. She'd said it. Now the entire world could know. Courtney went on to talk about the research she'd done and how she knew this was true, but I tuned out.

"Traitor!" I screamed, throwing my remote at the TV. Her kindness to me the day before all made sense now. I'd told her as a child that who my father was was a secret and I promised my mother it would stay that way. I also said that I didn't want anyone to know, because it would ruin my life. What kind of a friend would do this to me and still expect to be my friend?

I didn't know what to do, what to feel. Suddenly, Steve's face flashed into my mind and I knew what I had to do. I had no idea if he'd already seen the news or not, but I needed to clear the air about this between us before it was too late.

" _I was going to tell you, I swear, but you left before I could_." I texted him, assuming he already knew.

" _Tell me what_?"

I sucked in a breath. So he didn't know…and now I had to tell him, no matter how I feared the outcome. " _Tony Stark is my father_."

" _What? Are you serious_?"

" _Dead serious. Just watch the news_."

" _Why didn't you tell me_?"

I wasn't sure if that was an accusation, but it felt that way. _"I couldn't. My mother didn't want anyone to know and… I thought it'd change the way you think of me. Does it_?"

" _Of course not_." It shouldn't have been, I should've already known that, but that text was a huge relief.

" _So you aren't mad_?"

" _Why should I be? If your mother didn't want it known, then it wasn't your secret to tell_."

He didn't know how much that meant to me, but I did. I smiled at my phone and texted him back, changing the subject and asking about his day and his work. He told me the lead had been wrong again, but they'd busted some other guys up to illegal shit. I'd expected something to feel different now, but it was just the same as always. I'd never been more relieved in my life.

The day had been full of emotionally taxing problems, so I crashed in bed even though it was only eight. For a while, I just scrolled on my phone, but eventually I drifted off, sleeping more heavily than in a while.


	5. Chapter 5: My House Kinda Burnt Down

**A/N: Here's the fifth chapter! Disclaimer: Same as the last chapter**

I awoke that morning with a smile on my face, but that quickly faded away. Somehow, probably Courtney, the press found my address and when I went outside, they snapped pictures and asked how I felt about Tony Stark as a dad or if I'd known beforehand. I tried to ignore them, keeping my head down. This was exactly what I hadn't wanted, but all thanks to Courtney now it was happening. All of their eyes followed me as I walked, making my blood pound in my ears. I couldn't stand having people staring at me. I slid into my car and took off, honking at the press to move out of the way. For a while, I just drove around, soothing my bunched up nerves. I ended up in a parking spot by the beach, watching a couple tikes throw beach balls at each other. I pulled out my phone, meaning to write up a long text to Courtney about how upset and betrayed I felt and how miserable my life would be now, but I erased all that and simply texted. " _Bitch_." It wasn't the kindest thing to say, but it clearly expressed my feelings.

She'd probably been waiting for me to say something, because she texted back not five minutes later. " _I'm so sorry! But it was a good story and I had to do something to get them to put me on the air_. _Are we still friends_?"

" _Hell no! I'll never forgive you for this_." Perhaps I was being overly malicious, but I didn't care that much about Courtney anyway so it didn't matter. She texted me over and over in the next few minutes, but I kept my silence. I was done with her, done with my high school life. It was time for me to move on, make new friends, and be an adult. Besides, Courtney could easily find more friends to betray elsewhere.

When night came, I struggled to fall asleep. All day, the press had followed me around and not let me do what I needed to do. I went to Lowes to get supplies; the press was there. I went to Target to buy some clothes; the press was there. I went to the park to read; the press was still there. All those eyes upon me…it was hell. I pulled out the book I had just started and read under the light of my flashlight, keeping down the cost of my electricity bills. Somehow, at some point, I drifted off to sleep.

At two am, my phone started buzzing. My sleeping mind played the ringtone in my dream, but then it continued to ring and I woke up. I pulled my phone from where it had fallen on the floor to see who the caller was. Most likely, it was a wrong number, so I was in no rush.

I almost fell off the couch when I read the name 'Steve Rogers', and I accepted the call at the last ring.

"It's 2 am, what's wrong?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"Nika, you need to get out of there right now. There's a missile detected heading straight towards your house in ten minutes." He was business calm, but I could hear a trace of fear in his voice.

I couldn't process his words. A missile? Headed for me? Why? "Wait…what?" I asked.

"Get out of the house and warn your neighbors." Replied a feminine voice which I recognized as Natasha Romanoff. What was she doing there? "Then run as far as you can. We're coming to help people evacuate." I said nothing, waiting for reality to set in. "Go!" She snapped.

"Okay."

"And Nika?" Steve's voice was speaking again.

"What?"

"Be careful." He said, then hung up the phone and I was left in silence. For a couple of seconds, I sat there like an idiot, not sure what to do. Then, I leapt into action. I pulled a sweatshirt over my tank top and shorts, stuffed my most valuable stuff, like a picture of my mom and I when I was little, in my purse, and hurried onto the landing.

"Everyone wake up!" I screamed. "Get out! We're about to be attacked. Run!" I wasn't sure if anyone would hear or if anyone would listen, since I didn't exactly have any authority, so I went door to door trying to get people out. I knew I should get away, and I was running out of time, but I couldn't just leave them there. I got four families and a drunk old man to run into the woods before the first bomb hit. The entire compound shook and in a moment, the whole landscape changed. I ducked behind a pillar last minute, protected from part of the blast that had been focused on my apartment ten doors away. Despite the pole, I still felt the damage as shrapnel hit all around me. I managed to remain unscathed besides a few nicks, and I meant to continue getting people out. Now that the blast had already occurred, panicked people were running from their rooms, down the stairs, and out into the woods without my help. Watching them, I knew I'd done everything I could.

I was about to follow behind, but then another blast rocked the building, and I was thrown into the air. My life flashed before my eyes, and I landed hard on concrete, the breath stolen from my lungs. My mind screamed to get up and run before another missile exploded, but my body wouldn't obey. A minute later, too long, I rose to my legs and started running again. Another explosion rocked the building, and everything seemed to give way at once. Just before all the walls began caving in and the ceiling collapsed, I burst out into the night air, heart racing. I was racing on pure adrenaline, and it fueled me the next couple of feet before yet another explosion sounded, this one bigger than the last, and I was thrown forwards again. I hit the ground, and this time I didn't have the energy to get up. Luckily no other missiles went off, so I lay there in the grass in a questionable state of consciousness until I heard a voice.

"Thank God I found you." He said. "I thought…I'd lost you. Are you alright?"

My scattered thoughts returned to me and I opened my eyes to see Steve's face hovering above me. His jaw was clenched with anger but in his eyes I could see worry. "I'm fine." I said, struggling to stand up. He gave me a hand and I took it, ending up right in front of him.

"What were you doing still in here?" He asked, sounding irritated.

"I couldn't let the other people die. I had to try and get them out first, or I could never live with myself… It's the same thing you would've done."

His expression softened and I could tell he knew I was right. "Well, I'm a bit different than you: a little stronger." He joked before turning serious again. "Go wait by the car- it's over in what's left in the parking lot- and wait there. I've got to go check again for survivors and help however I can.

I neither liked to be ordered around neither wanted to do nothing, but my entire body ached and I couldn't bring myself to disagree. I nodded and trudged toward the car, leaving Steve to go be a hero while I waited for reality to really set in. I couldn't believe that someone had really just tried to kill me and for what purpose? The only reason I could see was to hurt Tony Stark, but we hadn't even met so that wouldn't have mattered to him. And the people who attacked me probably knew that too. Something Steve had said before replayed suddenly in my head. "They're killing all the geniuses so that we can't invent more ways to fight him." I didn't exactly qualify myself as a genius, though many tests I'd taken told me I was, but my intelligence seemed a fine motive to attack me. Courtney's betrayal had involved proof not only that I was the daughter of one of the smartest men in the country, but that I had proven myself in school to be one of the smartest teenagers in the state. Killing me was a preemptive strike before I could work against them.

For the next hour or so, I dozed in the backseat of the SUV, feeling bruised and exhausted. One door opened and closed, then the other one. My eyes fluttered open and saw Steve and Natasha, was I allowed to call her that?, sitting in the front seats. Slowly, as not to disturb my aching body too much, I sat up and looked out the window. "What's going on?" I asked.

"Local authorities are taking survivors and assessing the damage. We've done all that we really can." Natasha said, looking back at me. In the dark of the early morning light, her face was hard, and I struggled not to shrink back. I shouldn't be intimidated by her, but I was. I shrugged it off. "What now?"

"We go back to the house." Steve said.

I rolled my eyes, though no one could see it. "I don't know if either of you have noticed, but my house just kind of burned down."

Steve chuckled. "I know. We're taking you back to our base. As a labeled genius and Stark's daughter, you aren't safe on your own anymore. Which you just saw."

The heat drained from my face. Of all the things I didn't want to do just after I'd lost everything I owned, looked like a train wreck, and felt like a train wreck, facing my father was near the bottom of the list. I had no idea how he was reacting to it, or if he even cared. "No. I don't want to go there. Just let me stay at a hotel or something." I didn't have the money for that, but I wasn't going to let that stop me.

"And let hundreds of people die when missiles are shot into that hotel?"My eyes widened; I hadn't thought of that. "No, Nika, you need to come to Stark Mansion. It's the safest place for you right now."

"Aren't there other Avengers bases elsewhere? Can't you take me there?"

"They aren't as safe."

"Let me get out now and stay in the woods or something then. No one will find me there." I was getting ridiculous and I knew it. So did Steve; he gave me a look like I was crazy.

"Okay." I conceded, giving up.

I hadn't noticed before, but the car was already moving. Natasha had started driving already, without waiting for me to agree. I glared at the back of her head.

"Well." She said, ignoring my glare if she even felt it. "If you two lovebirds are done bickering, I need to call back to the house and figure out what's going on from there."

Steve tensed and so did I. How did she know we were together? Or was she just poking fun? "Lovebirds? No-" Steve started, seeming as flustered as I would. No one was supposed to know about us.

Natasha laughed. "Did you really think you could keep a secret like the fact you have a girlfriend from me? That's cute." She told Steve. "By the way, I'm slightly offended that after all this time that I've tried to set you up with someone, you went and found someone all by yourself."

Steve's mouth opened and closed like a fish, too shocked to articulate anything. I was too bone tired to care anymore. So what if Natasha knew? She was an Avenger, so I trusted her. In fact, I probably trusted her most out of the Avengers for some reason. She didn't seem like the type to betray Steve.

The two in the front seat lapsed into conversation about the bomb and cleanup and stuff, but I zoned out. I stared out the window, watching the sky slowly lighten with streaks of yellow and pink. We reached Stark Mansion within ten minutes, and I didn't even have the energy to dread parked the car in the garage and we all got out. I rocked on my heels, unsure what to do. Natasha walked up to me and held out her hand. I hesitantly shook it. "Natasha Romanoff." she told me, as if I didn't already know her name, "It's nice to finally meet the girl Captain's been fawning over the past month."

I blushed. "Nika Marianna, as you already know. It's nice to meet the chick who's world famous for kicking ass in Sokovia and New York."

She smirked slightly at me.

"You go in first, Natasha, and we'll follow after." Steve told her. She nodded and went in, leaving us alone.

Now that we were alone, I didn't hesitate to wrap my arms around Steve, taking comfort in the smoky scent of his uniform. "Oh my god Steve. How do you deal with this stuff on a daily basis?"

"You get used to it I guess." He replied with a shrug. "You do what you have to."

I pulled back and paced away. "Please don't make me go in there. I don't…I can't take anything right now. Especially not people's eyes on me." I shivered. "Or else I might have a full on panic attack. Please, just let me be alone."

He seemed to think it over for a few moments while I kept pacing and nervously clenching and unclenching my fists. "Alright. I can take you in the back and up to your room-"

"I have a room?"

"Yes, I thought you could just take one of the unused guest bedrooms."

"Wow…okay."

We snuck through the back entrance, past a security door which I easily unlocked, and into the house. He dropped me off by the door of my room, saying he had to get back before they wondered where he was. I wrapped my arms around myself after he left, dreading the afternoon where I'd have to face everyone, but glad he'd be there for support.


	6. Chapter 6: What You Don't Know

**A/N: Glad you guys are enjoying the story! Updates might start coming every other day because I'm getting really busy but I'll definitely keep this story up. Disclaimer: I don't own Avengers and I never will :(**

After a few deep breaths, I entered the room and quietly shut the door behind me. Seeing the contents of the space, my eyes widened. Altogether it was probably as big as my old apartment, with wide windows facing the nearby Pacific Ocean. Just in front of the window, a king sized bed with beige, soft looking sheets rested on the carpeted floor. On the left side of the room, there was an oak vanity, a chest for storage, and a flat screen TV with a beige couch in front. Opposite that, a desk with a high-tech hologram computer sat in between two doors, one to a closet and one to a bathroom. Expensive art decorated the walls and upscale light fixtures lit the space with white light. It was the nicest room I'd been in since my mom won a free trip to a fancy hotel in Vegas.

Unable to coop up my inner child, I ran over to the bed and flopped onto it, sinking into the soft fabric. I lay there for a few minutes, expecting to just fall asleep but not being able to manage it with morning light streaming in through the window. I'd only gotten three hours of sleep, yet it was six am and my body still thought light meant wake up. Tired of doing nothing, I rolled off the bed and decided to explore the bathroom.

Just like my main room, the bathroom was sleek and expensive looking. A stone tiled shower sat in one corner and a large tub/hot tub sat in the other, with its own little window to the ocean. Beside the toilet, there was a bidet, which I didn't plan on using, and another TV. I went straight to the sink, wondering how much of a wreck I looked like. I cringed when I saw my reflection in the mirror. My hair was wild, light brown strands all mussed up and covered in dirt and ash. My makeup was smudged, with mascara staining my cheeks along with the ash from the explosion. My sweatshirt was worse off with holes and, you guessed it, ash peppering the material. Since my shorts were black, they seemed a little better. The rest of my skin, though, was pale so it showed obvious signs of dirt, blood, and bruises.

I took a quick shower to wash off the grime and stepped out looking like a new person. Surprisingly, I found a hair blow dryer in the cabinet and I blow dried my unruly hair, using my fingers as a brush. After that, I grabbed my purse and put on the emergency mascara, foundation, eyeliner, and lipstick that I'd stored there for emergencies. This definitely was an emergency.

As for my clothes, there was little I could do and I simply trashed the sweatshirt and just wore the tank top and shorts. I looked a little slutty, but I really didn't care. By the time I finished everything, it was 9 am. Butterflies attacked my stomach and I paced the room, trying to pull myself together before I had to leave my safe room.

I texted Steve, asking what was happening.

" _We're discussing how to react to the bombings Don't worry, I told them that I told you everything, so you don't have to pretend._." He texted back.

That sounded harmless. I did a final check of my hair and left the room, softly closing the door behind me. I don't know why I was being so quiet, but it seemed somehow that by just being there I was disturbing some balance. I was white trash; I didn't belong in a place like this. I sidled down the stairs and suddenly there I was, standing right behind the living room.

On the couches, Natasha, Steve, Clint, the Iron Patriot dude, Wanda Maximoff were sitting and talking. Tony Stark was nowhere to be seen, and I'd never been more relieved. Gathering my courage, I strode over to the chairs, feeling a few then all of their eyes land on me. Steve stood first, like a proper gentleman, and the others did probably out of surprise.

"Miss Nika Marianna, or should I say Stark, nice to see you again." Clint said, his eyes glinting with humor as he probably remembered me standing on the doorstep prying information from Steve. I want him on my side, I thought to myself, he seems half decent.

"Actually it's still Nika Marianna. I take my mother's name since my parents weren't married." I said, shaking his outstretched hand. Next, Wanda came forward and introduced herself.

"Wanda Maximoff." She said, and I shook her hand too.

"Nice to meet you." I wasn't sure how I felt about her yet, but she seemed like the type of person who could relate to a life in poverty.

"Corporal Rhodes." Said the next man, nodding at me. I recalled watching the news and seeing him as Tony's best friend. Awkward.

Now that I'd met all the new people, I sat down on the couch beside Steve and listened to the deliberations. I couldn't tell if they didn't want me there or didn't care, but no one addressed me and I said nothing.

"The missiles seemed to deploy from somewhere in Northern California, just like we thought, but they were cloaked at the beginning so we don't know their origin. There's a couple more possibilities we can check out, but likely they're all false like the others Captain has checked." Natasha said, changing the conversation after fifteen minutes of talking about what to tell the press. They meant to keep most everything from the public, lie basically, and I disagreed but had no alternate to offer. If people found out these terrorists were at a greater scale than even the Avengers could take care of, then people would panic.

"I don't understand why we haven't found them there yet; there are only so many places you can hide in this state." Steve said, voiced laced with frustration.

For the first time, I decided to speak. "Maybe you haven't found them because they aren't in Northern Cali. What if they're above in maybe, say, Cananda, and they are just trying to trick us?"

They all looked at me like I was crazy, except Steve, who looked thoughtful.

"And how would they be tricking us?" Rhodes asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, you say it was cloaked, so who'd to say it hasn't been cloaked longer than we expect?"

"Tony told us that they couldn't feasibly cloak it for more than an hour and that the speed by which it was traveling shows an hour ago can only be in California."

I shrugged. "Maybe Tony's calculations were wrong. Or maybe we just don't know enough about their cloaking technology. You did say it was alien, right?" I asked Steve. I could see them all looking at him, probably confused or annoyed that he told me so much.

"Right. But Stark and Thor have mostly figured out how they're using it, they just don't know how to beat it."

"Or at least they think they do." I said, realizing too late that I sounded a little arrogant. Oh well, I thought, it's too late to turn back now. "But here's how I think it's really going…"

Over the next hour, I debated back and forth with them until they, all except Rhodes, seemed to agree with me. They decided to look for possible locations in Washington and Canada, but that wasn't all that was won. I knew I'd also gained their respect, and it felt surprisingly great. I hadn't expected to fit in among the world's most famous superheroes, but now I already felt on their level. I went to bed that night feeling happier than I could've hoped. The only problem still blocking my way was that Tony hadn't returned, but I'd worry about that later.

Some point the next day, I realized I still only had one set of clothes. I went out to the car to discover Wanda was already getting in to go somewhere. "Hey." I said, tapping on the window.

She rolled it down, giving me a strange look. "Yes?" She asked.

"Where are you going?"

"The store. Pietro wanted me to pick up a few things for him in the hospital."

"Can I come? I need a few things too."

She hesitated, probably not wanting to trust me, but finally said. "Okay." I hopped in the passenger seat. She drove out of the driveway and onto the road, seeming to be pointedly ignoring me. I didn't care, though, I wanted to be her friend, and one way or another I'd make that happen. In the end, I could almost always get what I wanted out of people.

"So." I said, trying to initiate conversation. She glanced at me momentarily then back at the road. "What stores are you going to?"

"Walmart." She replied. "That's where Americans buy running shoes, correct?"

"No, oh God, no. Only ghetto people and fat people shop in Walmart. I would know, I used to shop there all the time."

"Which one were you?"

I laughed, surprised she'd make a joke. Maybe she was less secretive and serious than I thought. "Ghetto. Or maybe both, depending on the people there's perspective."

"Where do you suggest I go then for running shoes?"

"Depends on how much cash you have."

"I am authorized to use a credit card from Stark, but I don't mean to exploit him."

"Well in that case, Target is probably your best bet. It's got average prices."

"Target? Where can I find that?"

"Look it up on your phone."

"I do not know how to do that."

I rolled my eyes. "Why are so many of you so inept with technology?" I pulled up the map app on my own phone and searched Target, since yet another Avenger besides Steve didn't understand technology.

"I didn't really have the money for a phone, back in Sokovia." Wanda replied. I sensed something akin to bitterness or sadness in her voice.

"Oh. I guess that makes sense. You know, I went to Sokovia once. It was a beautiful country, besides all the destruction from the civil war." I wasn't going to add that the destruction was basically all I saw. "Hey turn left here."

She turned. "You missed Sovokia in its better days."

I waited for her to elaborate, but she remained silent. "What was it like then?" I prompted. "Oh and keep going straight at this intersection."

"It was beautiful. In the winter, the cold was brutal and snow was deep, but in the fall, the leaves on the trees were so beautiful. Pietro and I used to have competitions of who could find the most beautiful leaf."

"That sounds like fun. I visited in the summer, so I didn't get to see any of the trees that were there change color."

She looked at me, and I got the chilling feeling she could see right into me. Her arm brushed mine and I felt a jolt, like a file was being downloaded from my system. "Yes, you visited the summer where the battles were thickest. There weren't many trees left in Argestan after that."

"How do you know I went to Argestan?" It was like she read my mind. Was that part of her powers? I wondered, realizing no one had ever really expounded upon what her powers were, just that she fought in the battle of Sokovia. I asked that to my list of things of information to pry out from her.

"You just have to ask."

I jumped at her voice. "So you can read my mind?"

"Not every thought. Just picture and memories: your greatest fears and your happiest moments." She spoke calmly, as if that was a completely rational and normal thing to say.

"My greatest fear?" I racked my mind, trying to figure out what that would be, but none of my many fears really stuck out to me as the greatest. "What would that be?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes. Turn right here by the way."

She turned, then looked at me with a piercing, unnerving expression. "What you don't know."

She was already facing the road again, but I stared at her. How the hell did she know that? I didn't even know that! But now that I thought about it, it seemed right. All my life, I'd been desperately curious and wanted to know everything and everyone. I read every book, solved every problem, and analyzed every person until I felt sure I understood. There was nothing that scared me more than something I didn't or couldn't know. "Wow. You're good." I tried not to show that I was actually freaked out.

"It's not hard for me, thanks to Hydra."

By the way her eye twitched, I could tell this was a difficult subject, so I wouldn't push her further. Yet. "Look! There's Target. Just pull to the left on this intersection and we can park."

She obeyed in silence and we parked just outside the doors. She locked the car door twice, like she expected it to get robbed or something. I raised an eyebrow at that, but she just kept walking.

We wandered the aisles searching for the shoes. Wanda spent fifteen minutes trying to pick out the perfect shoes for Pietro, who wanted them for after he recovered, while I sat there and occasionally commented when she asked for a second opinion. She put so much thought into the choice that it could be described as nothing but adorable…or annoying. I'd never seen a sister care so much about a brother before, and it almost made me wish I had a brother of my own.

Wanda finally decided on a black pair with white stripes and we moved on to my errands.

"By the way…I kind of actually need a whole wardrobe and not a 'few things' like I said." I said sheepishly.

I saw the ghost of a smile on her lips. "That's fine. I don't have anywhere else to be for a few hours. Pietro isn't expecting me until six."

"Great! I really want your fashion opinion on stuff. Your red jacket is so cute, by the way."

"Thanks. It's seen a lot of wear but its held up."

I grabbed a basket and started throwing stuff in, asking Wanda if she thought it was cute or nah first. By the end of an hour, I had like five pairs of sandals, a bunch of tank tops, a couple skirts, lingerie, and several pairs of shorts. When I looked at everything together while we checked out, I realized I'd picked everything in varying shades and patterns of either white or navy. I am way too predictable, I thought with a laugh.

The total of my clothes rang up as over a hundred dollars, and though I hated to swing it, I reminded myself I no longer had any rent or bills to pay, so it didn't really matter. That was a hard frame of mind after years of super careful spending. I could tell Wanda was having the same problem; she swiped Tony's credit card to pay for the hundred dollar shoes with a pained expression on her face.

"Why don't we go get ice cream or something?" I asked when we put everything in the car. I could remember seeing a Goodberry's in one of the shopping centers we'd just passed.

She tilted her head quizzically. "Ice cream?"

"You know…Sugar, cream, and milk combined together and then churned and chilled? Ice cream?"

"I don't know if I've ever had that."

I smiled brightly, linking my arm with hers. "Well then, it's time for you to try some."

For the first time I saw her really smile. "Okay. I'll try this ice cream of yours."

Rather than drive the maybe hundred feet to the ice cream shop, Wanda and I opted to cross the street and walk to it ourselves. Perhaps it was dangerous, since we had to pass on the side of the road on the edge of a sketchy neighborhood, but I was with an Avenger so I wasn't concerned. The walk turned out to be a lot more than the hundred feet I had thought but it was really for the better. We started talking about foods then Pietro then music, and I finally got a sense of the kind of person she was. Suprisingly, we had a lot of things in common and I liked her. Besides, if I was going to be stuck around the rest of the Avengers, it'd be nice to be friends with the one of them that was actually close to my age. She was only eighteen, so she understood what it was like to grow up in the modern age, though neither of us had had great access to technology. Funnily enough, I felt liked being around her way more than I'd ever liked being around Courtney, who'd been my best friend for four years. The only thing left to seal the deal with my friendship with Wanda was to make sure she could party, because I freaking loved to party. And she needed to learn how to as well.

We walked past several homeless men and business men and all sorts of people without trouble until a couple of white boys who thought they had swag walked past us. One of them whistled and the others joined in. I almost could've ignored it, but then the idiot had to go and open his mouth. "Hey bitch. How ya doin'?" He asked. I could've punched him right there.

I clenched my fists, turning to face him. Don't let him provoke you, don't let him provoke you, I chanted in my head. It was too late; I couldn't stand when guys treated girls like meat, one of my many convictions, and this guy was about to fucking get what he deserved.

"Who are you calling a bitch, bitch? Do I look like a dog?"

The guy looked to his friends and started laughing with them. "Wow aren't you a feisty one?"

I glared at him and grabbed Wanda's wrist, meaning to walk past without responding. The initial anger was gone.

Two of the boys blocked our path, grinning like this was some sort of game. "Not so fast." The leader said, coming up behind me. I'm in deep trouble, I thought to myself. My stomach twisted in knots. But before any of us moved again, Wanda flicked her hand and all four boys went flying. I don't know why I didn't see that coming, but I was totally shocked. I looked at her with wide eyes.

She seemed slightly surprised to have used her powers, but she shrugged it off. "Can we go now?" She asked. The boys were already pulling themselves up from the ground.

"Sure." I said, and we kept walking like nothing happened. I could almost laugh, envisioning all the revenge I could get on my middle and high school bullies with Wanda's help.

Wanda and I arrived at the ice cream shop and I ordered her and I my favorite flavor, rocky road. Thankfully, she loved it, proving she was indeed human. A TV behind us displayed a surfing competition that was going on at the beach, and I ended up spending the next twenty minutes explaining the sport of surfing. After that, I moved on to explaining American football while she told me about a sport in Sokovia that seemed like a mix between cross country and catch. I didn't fully understand how someone could catch a ball in the air and keep running, but Wanda assured me Pietro had been very good at it, before the war and even before experimentation.

I glanced at the clock when she went off on a tangent about her and Pietro. It wasn't that I was bored, but that I worried she'd miss meeting him at six. Sure enough, the clock already read five forty five, so traffic would be super heavy. The hospital was all the way across the city, and by my calculations, we'd be lucky to get there at six thirty.

"Uh Wanda.." I said, cutting her off.

"What?"

I showed her the time on my phone. "We probably need to get going if you want to go see Pietro at six.

She jumped up, cursing in Sokovian. "You're right. Let's go."

Without waiting for me, she ran from the store and back towards the car. I followed, my legs struggling to keep pace with a trained agent. Just before I thought for sure I'd collapse, we reached the car and I leaned against it to catch my breath. "You know," I said between breaths, "It would've been really useful to have speed like Pietro's five minutes ago."

"You just need to exercise more." She joked.

"Hey!" I exclaimed defensively, climbing into the passenger seat beside her. "I used to be super fit. Then I got a concussion and stuff and…well, I haven't really gotten in a good run since."

She pulled out of the parking space, in such a way that made me wonder if she actually had a driver's license in America, and sped down the road towards the direction of the hospital. At least, it started speedily, but we were quickly crawling on the road in five o'clock traffic. Wanda tapped her fingers on the steering wheel impatiently; glaring at the car in front of us like it was Ultron.

"Hey calm down." I said, trying not to freak out when she swerved around a big SUV. "Getting us killed won't get us there faster."

"I promised Pietro I'd be there at six. I don't want to be late."

"I think he'll forgive you for being late because of traffic. I'll text him and tell him. What's your passcode?" I took her phone and waited for her answer.

"I guess you're right…1238."

"I'm always right." I joked. Opening the phone with the code, I pulled up 'Pietro' and texted him. " _I'm running late due to traffic I'll probably be there around six thirty_." I put the phone back in her purse after he replied, " _Okay_ "

Wanda still seemed tense, with her arms ramrod straight as she drove, so I turned on the radio to change the mood. Cheerleader by Omi came on.

I whooped. "I love this song! Do you know it?"

"I think I heard it on the radio once before." She said, sounding like she was barely paying attention to me.

"Alright. I'll sing it for you then so you know the lyrics…OH I THINK THAT I FOUND MYSELF A CHEERLEADER." I started screaming the rest of the lyrics and then the lyrics to the next song and the next. At some point, Wanda's sour attitude faded and she started laughing and singing with me. I was surprised yet excited to see her coming out of her shell. For some reason or other, I'd felt like she was trying to push me away, like she blamed me for something or didn't like me. Yet now, that opinion seemed to have changed. It felt like I was just hanging out with my normal friends, headed to a party. I suddenly got an idea.

"Hey, want to come get a drink after this with me?" I asked when the radio was playing commercials.

She glanced at me quizzically then stared back at the road when she almost ran into someone's fender. "Isn't American law says we can't drink until we're twenty one?"

"Well…yes… but no one really follows that rule." She seemed close to refusing. "Come on! I'll be fun- like a party for just the two of us. I know this really fun bar that my mom's old…friend… owns and he'll probably give up free drinks."

"I don't know. I've never really been to a party."

"It can't be more dangerous than living on the streets as an orphan."

She thought about it for a couple minutes, her face a mirror of her incisiveness. "Fine." She said finally. "I'll go to a bar with you. I've always wondered what an American party was like. It'll be educational."

I laughed. "I'm sure it will."


	7. Chapter 7: I Took Her Out for a Drink

**A/N: I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, but I do admit it's a lot of fluff xD sorry(Fluff is wonderful though). The more serious action happens in a couple chapters, so I wanted a little bit of lightness and bonding before that happens. Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own characters**

We arrived at the hospital and rushed in, anxiety about being late causing Wanda's hand to leak magic. I'd heard that during the battle of Sokovia, he'd been shot through and for several hours, they all thought he was dead. Then, his fast metabolism had proved its usefulness and restarted his heart and begun the healing process. For a while, he'd been in a coma in the hospital as his body slowly, but way faster than any other human being, healed his extensive injuries. Last I'd heard from Steve, now Pietro was awake and almost back to work, though his body still had a little healing to do. He was itching to run and constantly complained about how sick he was of being in the hospital all alone.

Maybe that was why Wanda was so stressed about seeing him, or maybe she worried whenever they were separated that'd he'd die again. I was pretty good at reading people, even mysterious people like Wanda, so I had a feeling it was a mix of both reasons.

While she chatted with her brother in a hospital room, I sat in the waiting room on my phone. I had wanted to meet Pietro, but I wasn't going to press it if I wasn't invited. I got the feeling she wanted their meeting to be more of a family only thing, which I could respect.

My stomach was growling like an insatiable beast and I was sick of scrolling through Twitter when Wanda finally returned with a happy smile plastered on her face.

"Let's go." She said in a cheerful voice.

"Finally. I'm starving. How was your visit?"

"Great. Pietro's almost healthy enough to come home. He desperately wants to leave now, of course, but he's happy. I can tell he's no longer in pain."

"That's good." I replied as we walked into the parking lot towards our car. "When does he get out?"

"November 23rd – two weeks from now."

"Oh good. He'll be back in time for Thanksgiving. What do you Avengers do for Thanksgiving?"

"What is 'Thanksgiving'?"

"Oh right. I forgot you're Sokovian." I explained Thanksgiving to her as we drove while also directing her to my favorite bar. It was, of course, on the opposite side of town, so it was quite a drive. My stomach protested the wait.

By eight, we arrived at the front of the bar, which was named "Lucky 69 Bar." It was pretty sketchy, but my mother loved the place so I knew it well. Once, she'd even been the girlfriend of the owner and we'd both enjoyed free drinks on him whenever we wanted. Then she'd broken up with him after she met this attractive cable guy and he refused to talk to her again. He still talked to me, however, since we really had no grudge against each other and really bonded on complaining about my mom. Now I rarely saw him, but he'd give me good discounts and stuff, not to mention he didn't mind giving me, an underage teenager, alcohol in the first place.

Wanda parked in the back, doing her weird check that the car was locked twice thing and we walked in together. The smell of smoke and cheap cologne assaulted my nose like a pleasant memory, but Wanda gagged.

"You get used to it." I told her with a laugh and a shrug.

"Hey! Nika! You all famous now aren't cha?" The owner, Bert, said, waving at me. "Who's your friend?"

"My name is Sandra." Wanda said, pushing back her sunglasses to cover more of her eyes. That answered my unsaid question; she didn't want anyone to know who she was. I didn't really either, but even with my sunglasses and my hair pulled up, Bert still recognized me.

"Interesting accent you have there. Where you from?"

"Sokovia."

"Oh." He frowned, the usual response to hearing that country's name. The attack and almost end of the world there was kind of a sore spot for the nation and the world. "Well, why don't you two get seated and I'll bring you out some beers on the house."

"I've got money now Bert, you don't have to-"

"Nah, I'll do anything to get on the Tony Stark's good side. Maybe mention me to him sometime? I could use a new place." He winked at me and went into the back, before I even had time to think to tell him that I hadn't even met Tony.

"Will do." I replied to his retreating figure.

Wanda and I sat down in a table in the corner of the room that was secluded from other tables. A waiter approached us with the drinks and took my order of fries. She came back with the food ten minutes later and didn't bother us again. I had a strong feeling she didn't recognize either of us. It was nice to just be normal.

Wanda stared at the beer like it was a snake about to bite her. "Try it." I told her, taking a swing of my own. I grimaced; I'd never really liked the taste of beer. Call me girly, but I preferred fruitier drinks and tropical concoctions.

Picking up the bottle, Wanda hesitantly drank a little of the drink, promptly coughing and gagging. "This is awful." She remarked, quickly putting back the bottle on the table. "Why would anyone drink this?"

"I suppose some people like it…somehow. I'll order something different."

As the hour got later, more and more people trickled into the little bar. They played pool at two the tables in another corner of the bar, swayed on the dance floor to the sound of rap music, or drank at the neon-lit bar and barstools. The place was a definitely an eclectic mix of a bunch of different types of bars, which probably contributed to it's popularity.

Wanda watched the people with even more interest than I did, seeming to absorb information about them without even knowing them. There was silence between us, but definitely not in all the room thanks to the blaring music, and it annoyed me. I was bored, thinking far rather talk to these people or anyone that just stare like a creep.

I racked my brain for something to do and the words 'truth or dare' popped into my mind. I grinned evilly at Wanda, and concern creased her brow.

"What?" She asked.

"Have you ever played truth or dare or drink?"

"No. I've never heard of that."

"Let me teach you." I summarized the rules: answer the truth or do the dare and if you refuse, you have to take a drink. Then, I explained what a truth or a dare consisted of, making sure to give gentle truths and dares as examples so she wouldn't be scared off. The objective of the game involved having to take the least shots out of the both of us by the end of two hours.

Though she seemed a little hesitant, she finally agreed to play and I waved the waitress over to bring some shot glasses and a bottle of vodka. She complied and brought the bottle without really acknowledging our existence.

"Let the games begin." I said, grinning at Wanda. Competitiveness sparked in her eyes. I realized this wouldn't be the easy game I'd expected. Wanda wanted to win as much as I did. I was excited, since I loved a good competition.

"Yes, I'm ready to play when you are."

Two hours later, I was the clear winner, like I was 99% of the time, yet Wanda had given me a run for my money for a lot of the game. I'd ended up taking four shots while she'd taken six. When we'd started, she quickly learned how to play and we evenly dared each other to do the weirdest things, like go flirt with the waitress or get up and do the chicken dance. At first, Wanda felt it was too reckless to do such things, but by the time she'd choked down a couple shots, she was totally down for it. From the way the alcohol easily affected her, it was obvious she'd hadn't done much drinking before. Beyond ridiculous dares, drunk Wanda had also opened up about a lot of questions on her past, powers, and her lacking romantic history.

I on the other hand did crazy things from the start, only refusing her dare when she asked me to kiss one of the guys across the bar. No matter if it was just a game, I wasn't going to cheat on Steve. Questions about my current relationship I also avoided, glad that she let me have my privacy rather than just stealing that information from my mind.

Now that the game was over, I was glad that it'd brought me closer to Wanda, but now I faced a problem: how was I going to get her home? I wasn't that drunk, since I was used to shots, but now Wanda was giggling like a child and swaying on her feet. I paid the waitress and dragged my friend out by the wrist, ignoring the drunken men that tried to come up and flirt with us. Opening the door and helping her in, I situated Wanda in the passenger seat and got in the driver's side myself.

Thankfully, I was an excellent driver, because if I wasn't then her turning the radio up high and screaming along to it would've really distracted me. We were only a few miles from the house when I nearly lost control of the situation. Wanda started using her powers, playing with an active ball of red energy in front of her face. She stretched and manipulated it until it blocked my vision, furthering hindering my already slightly drink impaired reflexes.

"Wanda, stop it." If the situation weren't getting dangerous, I would've found it hilarious that such a composed and intelligent woman was suddenly acting like a two year old.

"Okay." The ball went away, but five seconds later, she shot mini red energy balls through the window shield. I belatedly put a hand over my head to shield it from broken glass, but Wanda had already fixed the window by moving the pieces back with her mind. I breathed a sigh of relief.

She continued doing that, scaring me to death each time and once almost sending energy through my hair, which would've fried it off, until I finally reached the safe haven of the house. I jumped out of the car like a madman possessed.

Pulling Wanda from the car by the wrist, I dragged her inside the house. She was still manipulating energy around herself, getting dangerously close to furniture and the walls now that we were indoors. I reached the living room with witch in tow and spotted Clint standing by the window, putting his phone back in his pocket after a call. He turned, raising an eyebrow when he saw us. I recalled her saying during the game that he'd become like a father figure to her over the summer, when she stayed at his home to adjust to her new life in America. I didn't know a lot about fathers, I'd never really had one, but I'd heard they were supposed to take care of their daughters in rough situations, so I let go of her wrist and shoved her towards him. Need to sleep was tugging on my eyelids, and I didn't have the energy to take care of her anymore. "She can be your problem now." I told him.

"What? What's wrong with her? Is she hurt?" He strode towards us, searching for signs of injury.

I laughed in spite of myself. "No. She's just super drunk."

"Why?"

I shrugged slowly. "I took her out for a drink. She may have gotten…more than was probably good for her. I forgot she wouldn't be as tolerant as I am."

He rolled his eyes. "Nice job."

"Thanks. I try."

He guided Wanda away to her room, glaring at me over his shoulder when she suddenly threw up all over the carpet. Honestly, all I wanted to do was sleep, so I sped around them and up the stairs to my room. I collapsed on my bed and slept deeply until the sun was midway into the sky. When I woke up, I was hungover, yes, but I also was cheerful as I realized I'd made a new friend.

I spent the next week feeling like I fit in as a partial member of the team, even though I never expected I would. I helped plan with them and talked to most of them, but since I wasn't an official member of the team, I had lots of free time to spend on my own just designing things with my new computer and creating small weapons and objects, like an improved super bright flashlight and my own version of a taser. My main love in science/ mechanics/engineering was really cars, but I just didn't have the resources to work on anything involving them.

I didn't see much of Steve, but the moments I did see him, I realized I was seriously falling in love. I hated to think that, love had lost me so much before, but I didn't think he'd use my feelings against me. If anything, he seemed to care about me more over time. I had a feeling that was hard for him too, since he still wasn't over Peggy. On our own, we were pretty broken people, but now we'd found solace in each other. I'd only known him for over two months, but I felt like he was the one.

I tossed and turned one night as I tried to sleep, too restless to rest. After half an hour, I gave up. Jumping off the bed, I put on shoes and a sweater and ventured into the hallway with the flashlight on my phone to guide me. I wasn't sure where I was going, but I was super quiet so I didn't wake the others. All I wanted was to be alone. I slipped into the kitchen, deciding to brew myself a cup of coffee.

"What are you doing?" Asked a tired voice from behind me. I spun around, nearly jumping out of my skin.

"Steve!" I squeaked. "You scared me to death. I'm just making some coffee."

"At midnight?"

"Why not?"

He smirked, sending warmth into my chest. "I don't know. Maybe because you plan on sleeping."

"But I don't."

"Why not?"

I shrugged. "I don't know; I couldn't sleep. And now I just want to do _something_ but I don't know what." I laughed slightly. "I'm inspired. I gotta find a way to use up the inspiration before it fades away."

He chuckled. "Good luck. Unless you need me to help with whatever you're doing, then I'm going to bed. Tomorrow I'll be setting out for a potential base in Canada. I might be away a few days."

"A few days?" I frowned, then glanced around the space to check no one was watching. Then, despite the risk, I leaned over and kissed him. He pulled away at first: probably concerned we'd get caught. "No." I said, shaking my head. "No one's around. Stop being paranoid. Besides, would it be so bad if they all knew?"

"It could be used against us. People would get at you to hurt me. I don't want to take chances- "

Despite his protests, when I kissed him again he didn't try to resist. My hands wrapped instinctively in his short hair and his wrapped around my back, pulling me closer. I didn't want the moment to end. Part of me feared someone would walk in and clear their throat awkwardly, like in the movies, but I deepened the kiss anyway, deciding not to care. The only thought left in my head was "Oh my God… I love this man."

Eventually, we broke apart and I rested my head on his chest. His arms were wrapped around me, like a shield from the monsters of the world, and I felt safer than ever before. There in his arms, I realized, I was home. I pulled away, staring into his eyes. Suddenly, I just couldn't keep it in anyone. "Steve." I said, my voice thick with emotion. "I love you."

"I love you too." His expression turned serious and I felt his arms tighten around me. "And I don't know if I could ever lose you."

"I don't plan on leaving. Not now or ever."

The coffee machine beeped, shaking me from my stupor. I disentangled myself and went to turn it off before the noise woke someone up. I poured myself a cup and walked back to Steve, placing a chaste kiss on his cheek. "You should get some sleep." I said. "You've got a long day tomorrow."

"You're right, I guess. Goodnight." We kissed once more, then he went to go sleep, leaving me alone with my coffee and my thoughts. I couldn't seem to wipe the smile off my face. He loves me, I thought giddily, and I love him. In my past relationships, it'd never been perfect like this. Always one of the members of the couple loved the other but it wasn't the other way around. I'd spent two years in a dead end relationship pining after a boy who I was madly in love with but who didn't have feelings for me. In retrospect, I knew he'd only dated me because I was hot. At the time and for a while after, his lack of love hurt me and I thought I'd never let myself be vulnerable to love again. Yet here I was, crazy for someone again, but this time he loved me back. Living life for the moments, not letting my regrets and hesitations hold me back, was working perfectly for me. I wished I'd tried it sooner.

I drank my coffee and washed out the mug in the sink, feeling buzzed. I needed somewhere to get out the energy, something to do. I wandered around the house, searching for a project. I came to the top of a staircase I'd never gone down, and curiosity got the better of me. A look at the floor plans on my computer had taught me the space was Tony's workshop, a space that was supposedly off limits to anyone but Pepper or anyone who was invited. Even so, I had a feeling I could easily get myself in.


	8. Chapter 8: Your Security Was Crap

**A/N: Here's the long awaited (by me at least lol) chapter where Nika meets Tony! :) Disclaimer: Same as last chapter**

The door had a code and Friday told me I was unauthorized to get in, but I shut up her program and figured out the code within twenty minutes. It wasn't exactly quick, but considering I was sneaking into the office of a genius, I felt pretty proud of myself. I switched on the lights and gawked at all that was around me. I'd never seen so many tools in one room, and I definitely had never had access to most of the objects in the room. Like a kid in a candy store, I flitted around the room, picking up everything and gathering the stuff I liked so I could experiment with it.

My arms were filled with tools and trinkets by the time I finally found the garage. I nearly dropped everything. In the large room, there were several newly minted custom cars, painted in bright colors and stripes. Gently placing down my stuff rather than dropping it, I flew to the cars and inspected the outside and under the hood. Maybe it wasn't a very feminine hobby, but I loved cars to death. Back in high school, I'd been in the automotive elective and though I was the only girl in the room, I'd had more fun there than anywhere else. I'd built my car up from a piece of junk using pieces of junk. The moment that car, which I lovingly named Old Auntie, ran for the first time, I felt like I'd really accomplished something. Of course, now that car was blown up, and all that achievement was gone, but the memory still brought a smile to my face.

I spent the hour examining the car and then returned the next day and the day after that. It was like a little hideaway from reality into a world I loved. Besides, Steve had been for a while and I had to divert my attention to stop worrying about him. I built and tinkered with little things, trying to learn rather than create since it wasn't my space. Tony was out still working on his defense system in another base, yet the memory of his presence filled the room, making me more cautious than normal.

The third day with Steve away, I brewed some coffee, ate breakfast with the others, and went down to my liar. None of them knew I was going there, or they might have warned me Tony planned on getting home that day. I was blissfully ignorant of that fact and went straight through the lab and into the garage. I sipped my coffee as I sat in the corner of the room and worked on the flashlight I was making. It was meant to be small, so I could hide it in my purse or pocket, but bright, so I could see far away and…potentially blind an attacker. To me, that was a far better weapon than having to kill someone.

A screw I'd bought to fit in a crevice on the side of the light wouldn't quite fit, even though I shoved it with all my might. I cursed under my breath; I should've bought a smaller sized screw just in case. Oh well, I thought, I'll just borrow one from Tony's workshop. I doubted he'd notice.

Setting down my coffee, I went back into the workshop to get the screw. Voices were speaking across the room, and I quickly hid behind a table. I recognized Friday's voice but I wasn't sure who the other person was. I had a sinking feeling, though, that I wasn't going to be happy when I found out.

I slowly peeked over the table, hoping the person wasn't facing my direction. My breath caught in my throat; it was Tony Stark. In front of him, there was a holographic projection of some sort of shield surrounded by his equations of how to make it. He seemed frustrated, constantly shifting things around and asking Friday to run a test and see if that fixed the problem. I realized the shield must be the thing he'd been going to other bases and trying to set up. I'd been told he had fixed whatever the problem was, but apparently not. I didn't understand why he was back. Why couldn't he fix it over at that base? And why hadn't anyone told me?

I ducked down again, trying to think of what to do. I couldn't leave without him seeing me, and I doubted he would appreciate that someone had trespassed in his lab. Since I couldn't leave, that made my only option to stay. However, I felt pretty sure that he would be here a long time and I didn't want to sit doing nothing forever. I slowly stood and looked around the room, trying to find an alternative like a secret door out or something I could do to distract him without him seeing me. I couldn't see anything.

Sighing, I resigned myself to hours of boredom. I glanced at the equations and the shield, deciding to learn about them. It all made perfect sense to me, and I wondered why people had such trouble with it. If I'd had the chance and the information about the alien substance that he had, I probably would've thought up something similar myself. Only one thing didn't make sense, and that was one of the equations. I did it over and over in my head, but each time I got a one decimal difference than what he did. I didn't even need a calculator to know that I was right and he was obviously wrong. Is this what the problem is? I wondered. If my observation of the whole thing was correct, then it probably was. And I couldn't just let that go.

Without thinking, I stood from behind the table and walked up to the hologram. "That equation is wrong." I said, pointing to the errant number.

Tony swung around, holding out a piece of metal like he'd hit me with it. He stared at me, seeming not to know what to say, but he slowly lowered the weapon. I knew he recognized me. When I'd stepped out, I'd totally forgotten who he was and that I was trespassing; all I'd thought about was fixing the problem. Now I realized how awkward the situation was. I was meeting my father for real for the first time. This definitely wasn't how I expected it to happen.

"What?" Tony asked, recovering from his speechlessness. He looked at the holograms, searching for what I was talking about without making eye contact with me. "How did you even get in here?"

"Your security measures were crap."

"Actually they're state of the art."

"Then the art really needs to improve." Our relationship was beginning with a sarcastic fight…it seemed fitting. The conversation paused, so I held out my hand to him."My name's Nika, you know, your daughter."

He shook it awkwardly. "Uh nice to meet you again."

"The feeling isn't mutual."  
"That'd be a first. Most people love getting to say they met Tony Stark."

"I'm not one of those people…can I fix the shield now? Mistakes bug me."

"It isn't wrong. I don't make mistakes."

"Well you just did the impossible then. Look." I pointed to the equation and replaced the number. A dinging noise sounded.

"The shielding has stabilized, sir." Friday said.

"That wasn't a mistake, it was intentional. Congratulations, you passed the test."

I rolled my eyes."Or maybe you just failed the test. Oh, and I also think you should replace this part with…" Pointing out a piece of the design, I started shifting things around. At first, Tony freaked out, thinking I was ruining his work, but I didn't let his disapproval stop me. When I finished, he begrudgingly admitted that it was better, and I moved on to the next improvement I meant to make.

We talked about the shield for hours, falling into an odd rhythm, like old partners. I felt as if I was speaking the same language as someone for the first time in my life. I didn't even think of him as my father, just as a scientist just like me. By over four hours, we'd finally perfected the shielding. I sat back and admired the hologram, amazed by what we'd accomplished.

"So…how's your mother?" Tony asked awkwardly, breaking the silence. Now that the project was finished, I hadn't been sure what to say.

I gave him a scathing look. "Dead. For two years."

"Oh. Sorry for your loss."

"What do you care?" I don't know what came over me, but I was suddenly mad. All the frustration of him not being there bubbled into my veins with force. "Why would you even care? You didn't know her, or me, at all."

"It's just generally polite to say you're sorry when someone dies."

"Ah so you're just being insincere to fit in with social norms?"

"I'm often insincere. It really helps in some situations." He shrugged.

I resisted the urge to smack him. "You know what also helps in some situations? Being present in your child's life."

"Hey I didn't even know you existed." He raised his hands in surrender, then his eyes turned wistful. "But if I had…maybe things would have been different."

I hadn't expected an answer like that, and I wasn't prepared to handle it. Was he saying he would've cared about me if he had known? That didn't seem likely; I'd heard he was irresponsible and selfish. But it was too late now to know. Way too late. I remembered my old creed to myself to never regret the things I never said or did. Did I really want to go around hating my father for no reason forever? Especially after we'd surprisingly connected so well? No. I would choose to live for the moment. "Maybe. But we can't go back can we?" He looked curiously at me and somehow I knew in that moment we were both choosing to forget the past or what could have been. All we had was now.

"I suppose not."He grabbed two cokes from the fridge in the wall and tossed one at me. "So, now that you've intruded in my workshop, it's only fair you pay me back by telling me something about your life."

I popped open the can and took a sip. "Ah so even selfish Tony Stark cares somewhat about people's lives?"

"Sometimes. Mostly I just care about how it relates to mine." He joked

"Then I doubt you'll find my story interesting. Besides, haven't you looked me up in the files?"

"Of course, but the files often don't tell the whole truth. I want to know the real stuff, like,…what's your favorite color?"

"Oh hey now. That's too real."

"Fine. I'll tone it down a little. What's your favorite food?"

"Noodles."

"Drink?"

"Mimosa."

"Aren't you only nineteen?"

"So?"

He mulled it for a minute, then shrugged, taking a sip of his coke. "Good point."

"What about you? Favorite food? Drink?"

"I'm not sure for food but for drink Pina Coladas."

"Meh that's lame, they aren't that good. Not worth picking over anything else. So what's your favorite color?"

"I thought we said that that was an off limits question."

We both chuckled. "That was before. Now that we know each other's favorite drink, we're close enough to ask that question."

"If you're sure. Hmm. I'd say red."

My eyes flickered to the Iron Man suit held in a nearby case. "Never would've guessed." I said sarcastically.

"I'm a man who knows what he likes. What about you?"

"Navy." I glanced down at my navy tank top. "I guess that's pretty predictable too."

"Don't feel too bad. At least if you end up being a superhero, you'll already have a signature color."

"What?"

Before he could respond, there was a knock on the door. Through the glass windows, I could see Natasha waiting there, face impassive. Tony put down his coke on a desk and unlocked the door to let her in. I felt sure she could've figured out the lock on her own, but I didn't bring that up.

"Hello Tony." She paused when she saw me, seeming surprised to see the two of us together. "And Nika. Captain just got back in and he wants to debrief the team."

"I'll be up in five." Tony told her.

She nodded and left, while Tony and I cleared up the holograms and saved them away. I wasn't sure if I was part of the team, but I doubted anyone would kick me out, so I followed Tony up the stairs and into the living room.

Steve noticed me and smiled discreetly, though he cocked an eyebrow at seeing me walk in with Tony. I shrugged, giving him an 'I'll tell you later' expression.

Once we were seated, Steve started speaking. "We searched two of the possible locations, and found evidence of the extraterrestrial material having been used in one of the places. By the time we got there, only a few guards and empty storage containers remained, but this is the closest we've ever gotten to finding their supplier before. One of the guards talked and told us that the new supplier is some 'Nelson Weapons and Co.' but we don't quite know which of their warehouses houses the material now. There are five warehouses for the company, so we have five new highly probable targets to go after.

"Besides that, the man also told us which bases the next attack will be focused on. We don't know how he knew this information, or if it's reliable, but I think we should believe him anyway and expedite getting shielding on those bases. Where are we with the shielding, Tony?"

"You mean the shielding that's been working perfectly all this time?" Tony joked, then quickly turned serious. "I got it back working again and made a few modifications-"

" _We_ made modifications and _I_ fixed it." I muttered under my breath, but loud enough for them all to hear.

The whole team looked at me in surprise, and I regretted speaking. I hated people staring at me. ' "You let a teenage girl outsmart you?" Natasha joked, half her mouth upturned in a smirk.

Tony glared at her then at me. I stuck out my tongue at him. "I wouldn't put it that way. I did do all the work before she even got here. She only did maybe 5% percent of the work." He defended.

"Gee, thanks."

"Anyway," Steve said, bringing the conversation back in to the problem at hand. "Are the shields ready?"

"Yes."

"Good. Then I want you and Natasha to go build the shields into the base in New Jersey and Maine. New Jersey's just a training facility, so we don't know what they want there, but we can't afford to lose more recruits, so they need to be the first priority. The man we interrogated said that the attack would most likely be this week, so we also need to hurry."

"Uh I hate to burst your organization bubble, but what about the New Mexico base? Isn't that one pretty important? Also, the Texas base is home to most of our research in the field of specialized nuclear weapons, so we probably want to protect that too." Natasha piped up.

A hard expression set on Steve's face. "We don't have time for Tony to set up shields at all these bases before they get attacked; some of them are going to have to go."

"Or I could go." I hadn't expected the words to come out of my mouth, but now it was too late to take them back. "I understand the shielding as well as Tony does, so I could set up the shields in New Mexico and Texas bases while he works in New Jersey and Maine."

"No." Steve promptly replied, sounding adamant. "You aren't a trained agent, and this could be a potentially very dangerous situation if those bombs fall earlier than we expect."

"But at least there's a chance I'll succeed. If I don't go, all the research could be lost, causing the loss of thousands of lives in the future. It's a risk that's worth taking."

"She's right." Falcon dude said, breaking the silence that momentarily settled on the team. "We have to do all we can to save these bases and she's the only one other than Stark who can help with that."

"So you're suggesting we send a civilian into what could become a massacre?"

"Yes."

From the twitch of his eye, I could tell he knew he was beat. "Do you all agree with him?" He asked the rest of the team.

"I think it's our only option." Clint replied, and the other Avengers nodded their assent.

Steve glanced at me sadly, and I remembered his words several days earlier _. 'I don't know if I could ever lose you'_ he'd told me. I had a feeling he now feared that very thing would happen, and, frankly, it scared me too. By itself, the mission wasn't too dangerous, but if it went wrong then it could easily result in my death. I was only nineteen; I didn't want to die!

I kept my face impassive, despite my feelings, since I knew the mission had to get done and they'd pull me out if I seemed unstable. "It's the only way to save the base."

Steve looked around the group, slightly shaking his head. "I don't know why I'm the leader of this group if you all just want to do your own thing." He remarked drily. "Nika and Clint will go to the New Mexico base while Tony and Natasha secure the training facility in New Jersey. Wanda and I can go back up to Canada to find the real supplier. We'll leave tomorrow at eight am. Meeting dismissed."


	9. Chapter 9: Come Get the Stuff With Me

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, I've been busy this weekend thanks to Halloween. Happy All Saints Day! Disclaimer: Same as last chapter**

The next morning at precisely eight am, I found myself boarding a quinjet, my stomach twisting with nerves. I'd never chosen to go into a dangerous situation before, and I didn't know how to handle it. Usually bad things just happened to me, leaving no time to stew over it before.

Away from the others, Steve and I talked one last time before we were split up once again. He made me promise to stay safe, and I told him the same. I missed when we'd had days in a row to just talk to each other. Now it seemed like every other day he was on mission or a disaster happened.

When he finally had to go, I walked out from behind the side of the jet to find Tony standing there waiting.

"Hey kid." He said, waving me over.

"I'm nineteen, that's not a kid." I muttered to myself before walking over. "What?"

He handed me a phone like his, with a simple, glasslike screen where the information could be seen from both sides. Many people called it a "holographic phone" but that wasn't technically correct. No one else besides Tony Stark and his friends had phones like it. "Your phone is hideously outdated. I can't have any relation of mine carrying around such garbage."

"Hey! I like my phone. Siri and I have really bonded. But maybe she does need a friend." I slipped the phone into my purse. "Thanks."

He nodded but didn't get to say anything before Natasha waved him over and he had to board his jet.

"We have to get going too." Clint said, standing on the platform of the jet.

I took a deep breath. "All right. Let's go." I took a single step onto the platform, but my other foot was stilled by red magic wrapping around it. I turned around, spotting Wanda standing a couple feet away. She waved.

"Good luck!" She said.

"Thanks!" I replied, waving to her as the hatch started closing. I continued waving until the hatch closed completely, and the jet took off from the ground. I braced myself against the wall as the room lurched.

"You might want to take a seat." Clint said over his shoulder.

Unsteadily, I walked towards the sides of the room where the seats were and sat down. It was unsettling being on a plane, since I hadn't been on one for several years and that instance had been the only time. I'd been traveling to Sokovia for a trip that changed my life forever on that flight, and I had a feeling whatever was about to happen after this flight would change things as well.

I closed my eyes, playing back memories of Sokovia without meaning to. The trip had been a missions trip, meant to help establish a small school in one of the bigger, yet still small compared to what I was used to, cities of the country. I'd gotten to go for free for some reason, so I jumped at the opportunity. At the time, it'd seemed like that was the only way I'd ever get to leave the country and explore the world.

When we'd landed and for a few days after, everything was fine. We'd done the manual labor of fixing holes in the building, helped the teachers teach, and played with all the little students. Then, four days in, the bombs started falling and the soldiers came in. The entire country had been locked in a civil war, and now without knowing it, our city was in the next target of one of the factions. Things exploded and the world burned around me. I was only fifteen, but when our leader got shot down, the other girls in my group elected me to lead, and I became responsible for the lives of all ten of them plus the eight children we'd been hanging out with at the time. From the running locals, I found out that the airport was supposed to be a safe house from the attack, so I led my group towards that. The task was easier said than done. Hostile soldiers filled the city, and I had to sneak around them in the shadows to keep from getting killed. They afforded no mercy to anyone, be they soldier or civilian.

We were just a block away from the airport when a contingent of men came marching down the street on our left, ruining our chances of survival. I don't know what came over me in that moment, but I suddenly grabbed a gun and told them to run while I distracted the soldiers. I ran into the street screaming like a banshee and shooting at the men randomly. They chased after me while my friends and the children got away. It was then that I came out from my stupor and realized the predicament I was in. Running on pure fear and adrenaline, I snaked through the alleys and streets of the city, followed by the soldiers who saw the whole thing as a kind of game. Eventually, I found myself backed into a corner, on the edge of a ledge above a river. They jeered at me and one of them raised his gun to shot me, so I pulled the trigger on my own and shot him, killing him. I shot two more and then jumped into the river, leaving them in disarray.

I swam for what seemed like hours before I finally washed upon the shore by a pile of rubble. I pulled myself from the water and lay down, finally having time to take in all that had happened. Something in me shattered when I realized I'd killed someone, genuinely killed someone. I'd heard that the first kill was the hardest and it got easier after that, but that day I vowed to myself I'd never kill again. I could see the man's face in my mind, and picture his family, his friends, his job, his hope, all things that were gone thanks to me. By killing him, I'd probably wounded hundreds of other people, and I never wanted that on my conscience again.

The sudden movement of the jet rocked me from my memories and my eyes flew open, looking around.

"Relax." Clint said, looking back at me. "We just hit some turbulence."

I slunk back down in my seat, relieved. "Oh ok. I haven't flown much so I didn't know."

We flew for maybe forty five minutes, the occasional shaking of the plane grating on my already frayed nerves. We touched down upon a landing pad just outside of a large, plain white building. When the door opened and Clint and I walked out, I spotted two people, a man and a woman, waiting just outside the glass doors.

Clint sped towards them and conferred in low tones while I looked around at my surroundings. Clouds littered the sky in shades of white, gray, and angry black. Back at California, the weather had been sunny, but here in New Mexico, it seemed like a storm was about to break.

I approached the people and they introduced themselves as Erik Selvig and Jane Foster. It took a second, but I vaguely remembered Jane being involved with Thor at some point. She was a world renowned astrophysicist and so was the Selvig guy. Even scientists who'd barely even looked into astrophysics, like me, had seen their work and thought it was brilliant.

I introduced myself as Nika Marianna, but Clint added that I was also known as Nika Stark, and I could see their impression of me change. I glared at Clint, hating the change being Tony Stark's daughter did to people's perceptions.

"So, why are you here?" Jane asked Clint."I've sent you all the findings about the stones that I've found. I think that…"

She kept talking to Clint as we walked in, but I stopped paying attention. It became too much about theory and the stars, things I didn't give a crap about. I just wanted to set up the shield technology in their mainframe and get home. Besides being the home to Jane's research and a very new lab, I didn't even see why this place was so important. We walked through boring hallways with interns and scientists scurrying around carrying books and notes, past a large room which housed a telescope, and finally ended up in Jane's office. From being the head of the whole lab, it was surprisingly small with sparse decoration. A girl with brown hair was bent over a paper on the desk, reading it with a bored expression on her face.

"Hey, Jane-" She said, pausing when she saw us. "Oh hey Clint and is that the Stark chick?"

"Hello Darcy." Clint said, nodding at her to acknowledge her. He turned back to Jane and Erik. "Keep the updates coming, but that's not why we're here. We came because a missile with your lab's name on it is coming this week."

Irritation flashed in Jane's eyes. "But this lab is brand new! I don't want to lose all my research all over again. "

"Neither do we. Nika is going to set up a shield that will counteract the missile. Even so, it's probably for the best that you evacuate your team and yourselves until it's safe again."

"Can you just alert us when the missile is coming?"

"It's cloaked. We won't know until it's too late." I piped up.

Jane turned to me, acknowledging my existence for the first time in a while. "And you know how to protect against it?"

"Yes. It's not that complicated. Can I access your computer?"

"Uh, sure."

I sat down behind the desk and logged myself into the computer without needing to consult her for the password. I started plugging in coding to the mainframe of the base.

At first, Jane and the others stared at me and watched me wok, but then Clint turned back to Jane and told her to evacuate the base. They argued for a little while, her refusing to leave her work and him arguing that they couldn't risk her death, but I didn't really register the exact words of the argument since I was preoccupied.

With the programming set up, I knew I needed to move on to the physical component of the shield. All the pieces had been prebuilt by Tony and I overnight and simply needed to be positioned at the correct intervals to project the shield over the whole base. There were eighteen overall, so I doubted the second part would go as fast as the first especially without help.

I looked around the room. Clint, Jane, and Erik were discussing something and seemed very invested, so I doubted I'd get any help. The girl on the other hand was just scrolling through her phone with a spaced out expression on her face.

"Hey…uh…Darcy." I said, remembering her name.

She glanced at me with biting indifference. "What?"

"Can you come help me set up the shield outside?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Do you really want this whole place to burn down and you to die?"

"I guess not."

"Then come help me."

She sighed. "Fine. You owe me though."

I wasn't sure how her helping me save her life meant that I owed her, but I was grateful enough she agreed to help that I didn't argue. "Okay, whatever. Come get the stuff with me."

I strutted through the compound, losing maybe ten minutes before I realized I was lost.

"You do realize that you are headed to the basement and not outside, right?" Darcy asked.

I glared at her. "That would've been nice to know like five minutes ago."

"Yeah but it was more amusing to watch you think you were going the right way when you weren't."

"Can you please just lead me to the helipad?" Irritation laced my voice, and I placed a hand on my hip for emphasis.

"Sure. You could've just asked in the first place."

If looks could kill, that girl would've been dead. But since they can't, I just glared at her back while she led us to the helipad outside. Personnel had unloaded the eighteen packages and I stripped back the doors of the crates and shoved some of the parts into Darcy's arms. Taking the rest myself, I led Darcy to a spot just outside the helipad and started putting together the pieces.

Once they were arranged and screwed together, Darcy and I grabbed another set of parts and assembled it several meters away. We did this again and again for seven more generators, leaving my arms aching from carrying the pieces and Darcy complaining constantly. After we had just picked up another set, something in the air changed. I'd felt this once before, when I'd been outside of Tony's house. My heart stopped. I was too late; a missile was about to hit us.

"Everyone run! Get away!" I screamed to the people nearby. Despite Darcy yelling after me, 'what the hell are you doing', I ran back into the base and repeated my warning. Panic overtook many of the employees, speeding their steps. Though I didn't know how I ended up there, I ran into Jane Foster's office.

"You have to get out!" I told her and the others breathlessly. "There's a bomb coming. I didn't finish in time."

"What?" Jane asked incredulously, but the man, Erik, was already rushing her out the door so I had no time to answer. I took a few steps to run away too, but then an explosion rocked everything. The walls shook, the window shattered, and debris knocked me over. My body pulsed with pain, but the sharpest was in my finger. After the initial shock wore off, I looked down at my right middle finger and was nauseated by the sight. After a large piece of the ceiling broke onto it, my finger bone had snapped and now poked out of my skin. I shoved down the bile in my throat and looked away. Clint was on his Bluetooth, probably calling backup. Seeing me unsteadily starting to rise, he gave me a hand up.

"We have to get to safety before the next bomb falls." He said seriously.

I nodded mutely, too in pain to speak. Now that I was standing, I could recognize another pain besides the burning one in my finger; my ankle pulsed and I knew from past experience that it must be sprained. Clint hurried from the room, gesturing for me to follow him. I limped that way, wondering how he managed to not get hurt. He just got lucky, I guessed.

Another blast rocked the building, collapsing the walls and ceiling in the space between Clint and I. I could no longer see him. "Clint?" I called when everything settled.

"Nika. I can't get to you from here. Is the window clear for you to jump through and meet me by the helipad?"

"Uh.." The window pane had been blown out, but shards still stayed in the frame and littered the floor. I doubted I'd get through without injuring myself, but it was worth a shot. "Sure."

"I'll meet you there."

His footsteps got softer as he left me behind and I moved closer to the window, sliding over the glass so it didn't stab into the thin soles of my boots. Stepping through the window pane, I had to duck and swerve but I made it outside with only a few scratches.

One final blast destroyed the compound, knocking me over onto the glass. I hissed in pain as a thousand shards bit into my skin and drew blood. My eyes clenched shut in pain momentarily and then opened to see the desolation around me. What had been a lab just minutes ago was now a pile of rubble and ash. Also broken glass, which I was privileged enough to be lying on.

Above me, I heard another plane whizz by. Not another missile, I thought to myself with a groan. Squinting against the sun, I looked up to see what was definitely not a bomb. Several men in parachutes were floating towards the ground with multiple guns strapped to their hips. I scrambled to my feet, adrenaline pumping through my veins as my head screamed danger! danger! Ignoring the pain of my ankle, I sprinted towards the empty desert around the lab. From the corner of my eye, I spotted someone trying to move rubble off themselves.

I ran towards them and joined in helping. Once the person was freed from the wall, I recognized the ash and dirt smeared face of Jane Foster. I helped her up, though I almost fell over in the process.

"Where's Erik Selvig?" I asked, searching the rocks for him.

"Somehow during the blasts we got separated." Concern filled her voice as well as a certain extent of anguish. That made sense, seeing as she just lost her brand new lab.

"Let's go find him then." The men falling from the sky had totally slipped my mind.

We ventured into the unsettled rubble, coughing in the dust. Jane yelled Erik's name and I did too, but we received no response. I suggested going outside and searching there, but right after my words, a hand clamped over my mouth. My scream didn't penetrate the thick fabric of someone's sleeve and my kicks and struggles didn't make my attacker so much as flinch. He carried me outside despite my kicking like a feral cat and he and his colleague dumped Jane and I into the back of a truck.


	10. Chapter 10: I Can Improvise

**A/N: By the way if you haven't noticed I'm not a scientist or mechanic at all so I don't really know what how the 'shielding' works xD, it just does. Thanks for reading! Disclaimer: I still don't own the Avengers- what a shocker**

I landed on my hurt hand and black spots danced on my vision. Pain smeared my every sense, causing my to bite my tongue so hard it bled.

"Let us out" Jane called to the men outside the doors that closed after we were thrown inside. There was no response besides the truck starting and pulling forward. "What do we do?" Jane asked, looking around wildly. I shrugged slightly, still biting my tongue. "This is illegal!" Jane told the men, who probably couldn't hear her and wouldn't care if they did.

She pulled at the door and then started searching for some way to pry it off and escape. Now that the spots had disappeared from my eyes, I helped her. In the dim light of a cheap fixture above us, I looked about the room. Besides a couple of empty gunnysacks, the steel cell was bare. Blood still poured from my finger, so I ripped a band of fabric off my tank top and wrapped it around to stop the flow. I winced at the pain, but kept my focus on escaping.

After an examination of the door, I realized it was held in place by screws, which I could maybe unscrew with the hairpin in my hair. I pulled it out, and started tampering with one of the screws, slowing loosening it.

"Here. You can start on that side." I said, handing another pin to Jane. She nodded determinedly and took it.

"Who are these people?" She asked while we worked. "What do they want from us? Why did they…burn down my lab?" Anger filled her voice when she spoke about the destruction of her base.

"They're terrorists." I told her."They want to destroy all of our bases so we don't have any resources to fight back with. Your lab just fit that plan."

"Wait, so they didn't even want the research?"

"Well I mean seeing as they burned it all away, I doubt it." I continued talking while I worked, but it was hard to unscrew the screw with only one good hand, which still had a couple of stinging scratches on it from glass.

"That's so wasteful. If I ever met their leader I'd-I'd give him a piece of my mind."

"Good luck with that."

On my side, two screws were gone and Jane had removed four. We worked in silence a few minutes before Jane started talking again. I had a feeling she was just a naturally talkative person, which annoyed me since I was in no mood to talk.

"Why did they kidnap us?"

I thought about it for a little bit. "I'm actually not sure, since I doubt they know who we are. Or maybe…they do. If that's so, it's because they kill all scientists on our side that they meet."

"Then why did they capture and not kill us?"

A horrible feeling settled in my gut. She was right, it was odd they'd go through the pains of kidnapping us rather than just killing us. Such effort probably meant they had plans for us, and I didn't want to know what those plans were. I started unscrewing things faster, desperate to escape.

For fifteen minutes, Jane and I worked furiously to undo the door, and finally I pried off the final screw. With a gentle push, I knew the door would pop out.

"Alright. So when I kick this out, we both have to jump out. The car feels like it's only going maybe 35, so we should be able to jump out without getting seriously injured."

"How do you know how fast it's going?"

I shrugged. "I've spent a lot of time with cars and listening to cars. It would sound different and feel different if we were going fast."

By her confused expression, I could tell Jane didn't totally trust my intuition.

"You're just going to have to trust me. Are you ready to jump?"

"Jump out into a street and possibly die?"

"Yes."

"Alright…I'm ready. I have no choice, I guess."

"Okay 5…4…3..2..1…" On one, I stepped back and rammed my arm into the door. It fell away like a piece of paper and skipped onto the desert road. A bang sounded when it broke, so I knew our captors knew we were escaping. I doubted we had much time. "Jump!" I yelled to Jane over the wind that now ripped across our faces.

After she jumped and rolled unceremoniously through the dirt, I leapt out myself. The impact jarred my whole body, and I fell forwards and bounced on the dirt a couple times. My ankle screamed at me to stop, but in the momentum, I'd lost all control of my body. Eventually, I rolled to a stop several feet in front of Jane. I wished I could just lie there forever, but I heard the truck squeal to a stop, so I knew I needed to get going. I pulled my aching body to its feet and stood by Jane, who'd risen too. She seemed a little better off than me for her landing, and I envied her.

"We have to move." I said breathlessly, pointing to the truck, where the front door was opening. She nodded and we bolted towards a store I spotted in the near distance. If not for adrenaline, I never could have made it, but somehow Jane and I outran our captors and found ourselves just outside of a little town. Since I no longer had any energy, Jane took the lead and led us to an alley behind a post office. We hopped inside a large dumpster filled with paper, and waited with bated breath.

I could've sworn I heard footsteps, but no one opened the trash can. Whoever had come to capture us had lost the trail. I would've been grateful, except that my whole focus was devoted to the pain across my body. I held the cloth tighter around my finger, hoping the blood had stopped, though I couldn't tell in the dark. I missed my phone, which I'd left on the plane, that could've lit the space or let us call for help. Now, we were on our own entirely.

What could've been minutes or hours later, Jane and I decided to leave the dumpster. It didn't seem likely that the men were still searching for us, but we kept to the shadows and kept our heads down just in case.

"We have to get to Texas." I told Jane as I limped along beside her. I'd had lots of time to think in the dumpster, and I realized that my next action should be to save the base in Texas. It seemed to logically follow that they'd bomb bases that were close together, so I had a feeling the Texas base was next. I'd already failed at the beginning of my mission, so I wanted to get a chance to half redeem myself. The only problem was getting there before it got bombed.

"But first we need to find a doctor and food and somewhere to sleep."

"We don't have time for that. I want to get into Texas tonight."

"Why?"

"There's a base there I want to get to before it gets bombed too."

"You can't go right now."  
"Why not?"

She raised an eyebrow incredulously. "Because you can barely even walk."

It was a fair point, but I hated to agree to delay. "I'll be fine."

"You should at least get some bandages for those cuts on your arms and- oh gosh, what happened to your finger?"She gestured to the red stained cloth around my broken finger. I hadn't realized she hadn't noticed before, but I supposed it really wasn't that obvious to anyone but me.

"It broke and got displaced. I should probably set it."

"You think?"

We lumbered around the small town until we found a little doctor's office situated on the edge of the town. I barged in despite the closed sign going up in the window and limped to the front desk. The receptionist looked up from her papers, eyes widening. I glanced down at myself, trying to see what she saw. My arms and legs were cut up from glass and covered in dirt and Jane wasn't much better. We probably looked like the living dead to the poor lady.

"Look, I just need some bandages, a washcloth, and some painkillers and we'll be gone."

"I…uh…I can't." She stuttered, taken off guard.

"Please." Jane added. "We're in a bit of a hurry."

"Um…okay. I'll be…right back." She scurried back behind a closed door and returned ten minutes later with the stuff I'd asked for.

"Thanks." I told her before limping over to the bathroom. After swallowing a couple of the advil, I washed off the dirt on my skin and handed the washcloth over to Jane. While she washed off her arms and legs, I timidly unraveled the cloth from my finger. The gruesome sight still nauseated me, but I swallowed the bile and washed off the wound. It had, thankfully, stopped bleeding, and all I had to do was wrap bandages around it and around my index finger to splint it. Once I got home, I planned to get it look at so it didn't heal funny, but the splint was good enough for the time being.

I still looked like a wreck, just a less bloody one, when we emerged from the doctor's office. Haste was on the forefront of my mind, so I went to the nearest parking lot outside a diner and looked around for a car. I was somewhat proficient at hotwiring cars, though I'd never done it to anyone's car who hadn't asked me to, so I knew exactly what to look for. The car had to be old enough and the right type, and I could hotwire it without a hitch. There weren't many cars to pick from, since it was such a small town, but I spotted a silver car that would fit my purposes perfectly.

I removed the antenna from the car and propped the door slightly open with my pocket knife. I threaded the antenna through the space, jabbing at the lock on the door to get it to open.

"What are you doing?" Jane whisper asked, her voice accusing.

"Stealing this car temporarily."

"Stealing a car?!"

"Yep. I'll give it back when I'm done, if I can, and pay for my actions then, I promise. But now I need to get to that lab and save lives, so I need this car."

"If you're sure…"

"I am. I've done this before."

The lock unlocked with a satisfying 'click' and I slid into the driver's seat. After a moment of hesitation, Jane hopped in beside me. I opened the panel on the steering column and fixed up the wires to hotwire the car. It hummed to life.

I put the car in reverse and drove out of the parking lot, glancing back in the rearview mirror to check no one was outside yelling at me. Luckily, it seemed the owner hadn't noticed the theft of his car yet. I hoped it took him a while, so I could get a solid head start.

We coasted across the road towards Texas, Jane finding a map in the passenger side and directing me to the base, which was close to Seminole, Texas. It would've been so much simpler if I just had my phone, I thought to myself after missing an exit due to Jane struggling to read the map. I wondered how people had gotten anywhere without GPS.

Minutes passed into hours of driving and I popped a couple more advil, which I realized guiltily that I'd stolen, to keep the edge off the pain in my body. It was half an hour past midnight, and I was so tired that I could imagine the shadows on the sides of the road were people or ghosts. Jane nodded off in the passenger seat, and I didn't bother to wake her up.

Finally at around four am, I arrived in a small town near Seminole. Parking the car in the back of a parking lot so it wouldn't be noticed, I got out and stretched my legs. My ankle was stiff and swollen, but the painkillers numbed some of the pain I'd normally be feeling. Same with my finger; it barely hurt at all.

I shook Jane awake and we walked towards a Starbucks in a nearby shopping center. After driving all night, I definitely needed a boost. We entered, the sole customers in the store, and I paid for some coffee from change I always kept in my back pocket. I quietly asked the cashier for her phone to 'call my mom', saying my phone had died and she handed it to me while she made my drink.

I typed Clint's phone number, which I'd easily memorized after reading once, like most phone numbers, and called him. It took several rings, but he finally picked up on the final ring.

"Hello? Who is this?" He asked in a guarded voice.

"It's Nika." I told him.

The line was silent for a few moments. "Thank God. We all thought you were dead. Where are you?"

"Well I'm not. I'm In a Starbucks just outside of Seminole with Jane. I need clearance into…" I noticed that the cashier was holding my coffee and staring at me. "Er…your house. I need to install that security system for you." I said for the benefit of the girl, hoping Clint would catch on. " Can you come pick me up?"

"I'm still in New Mexico investigating, but I'll send someone from the Texan base to pick you up. All the pieces were blown up, though."

"That's alright. I can improvise."

He chuckled. "I don't doubt it. Be careful. You really aren't trained for this."

"Thanks. Yeah, I kinda realized that after…" The cashier was still staring at me. "Nevermind. Bye."

I hung up and quickly erased Clint's number from all the memory on the phone, handing it back to the girl.

"Thanks for letting me borrow that." I told her, smiling.

She smiled back. "No problem."

I took the coffee and Jane and I sat outside of the café, waiting for our ride. I wasn't sure what Jane planned to do now, and I didn't think she did either. She seemed pensive, deep in thought, like she was planning her next move. I'd only known her for a day, but I wished her all the luck in the world. I understood what it felt like to lose everything in a bombing more than most people.

A black car pulled up to the curb and I instinctively backed away. The window rolled down, revealing a burly man with dark sunglasses. He took one look at me and Jane, then flashed his Shield/Avengers ID and told us to hop in. I didn't feel like I trusted him, but I remembered that I needed to hurry, so I got in anyway.

When we got to the base, I went straight to the first computer I found and filled in the program for the shielding, ignoring the occasional weird looks people gave me. I probably looked like a hobo in a room full of priests; my rugged appearance made me stick out like a sore thumb among the science elite. But they didn't question me, since the place was so secretive that that it was doubtful a random thug could just break in without the whole place being put on alert.

Once the programming was set, I asked around to find out where they kept spare parts. An intern who deigned to talk to me told me they kept everything in a closet in the back of the building, so I thanked her and went there. I realized I'd lost Jane when I started programming, but I had a feeling she'd just wandered off to talk to whatever science friends she had around here. There was really nothing more she could do for me or I her.

The 'closet' where the spare parts were kept was considerably bigger than a closet. I cheered inwardly and started scavenging, searching for parts to replace those I'd lost. I spent hours back there and in a lab with a welder and other tools that I'd found, feeling pressured by the clock the whole time. I worried every moment that everything would just suddenly go up in flames.

I pulled an 'I'm Nika _Stark'_ to one of the haughty interns and managed to gain their help in setting up the generators around the base. This time, all eighteen went up without us getting bombed before I finished. I whooped and high-fived the intern, who'd I'd actually discovered was kind of nice, and ran inside to turn on the programming.

Just seconds after I switched everything 'on', the base shook. I ran outside, probably a stupid move in retrospect but oh well, and looked up. An explosion was happening in the air above the building, just outside the shield. The bomb had hit the shield and bounced off before setting off. My work was a success.

Another bomb hit, making the shield wobble before the bomb was repelled. Like a firework, the bomb exploded in the air. One more bomb was deflected before all went quiet.

Other scientists timidly emerged because of the loud noise, and a weight came off my chest when I realized I'd succeeded in saving their lives. Even though I let the guilt of letting the people at the last base die go, it still felt like I'd redeemed myself.

A quinjet emerged on the skyline and sped towards us, landing soundlessly on the helipad. I ran towards it as Clint emerged from the ship. He said something to a nearby agent and then approached me, still seeming a little surprised that I still breathed air.

"What happened to you?" He asked, "How did you survive that blast? The whole team thought you were dead."

"Magic." I said sarcastically.

"This is serious, Nika."

"Alright, fine, be no fun. I jumped out of that window and…" I told him the story while we walked inside. He listened intently, only interrupting to ask for clarification. I felt like I was giving an official report, which I probably would have to do later.

When I was done, I asked Clint what he did and got a short yet boring story of leaving the building, helping people get out, establishing a perimeter, and identifying witnesses. It wasn't nearly as exciting as my kidnapping-car stealing journey, but I wished I'd had it easier like him. I just wasn't prepared to be an agent.

I got my phone from Clint and checked the messages before I crashed in a spinny chair in a secluded room in a lab. There were several from Steve, which made my heart ache while I read them. He asked where I was, if I was okay, and then finally just said 'Nika?'. When I put myself in his place, I was horrified. I didn't even want to think about what I'd do if he was lost in a fire and declared dead. I dialed his number but was immediately sent to voicemail. I was almost too tired to be disappointed, and I put my phone in my lap and closed my eyes. I fell asleep, despite the awkward position, in seconds.

Buzzing on my stomach roused me from my sleep. I was really confused for a minute until I realized the feeling must be my phone. I rubbed sleep from my eyes and checked the caller id. I'd barely read Steve's name before I picked up.

"Steve?" I asked.

"I'm sorry I didn't pick up; my phone was off somehow. Are you alright?"

I closed my eyes, soothed by just the sound of his voice. "I'm a little banged up but I'll live. Are you okay? How's your mission?"

"We still have three more targets to search, since the others have turned up nothing, but I'm confident one of these will be it. Nika…I thought you were dead." He cleared his throat, but I could still hear the break in his voice.

"I'm not. I promised you I wasn't leaving. I don't break my promises."

"Sometimes you don't get the choice."

I wondered if he was thinking of the friends he lost in the war, and I felt almost guilty for bringing it up. "I know. But I'll do everything in my power. And you better too."

His voice lowered, and I knew someone must be nearby on the other side. "I have to go." He told me.

I swallowed down my disappointment. "Alright. I love you."

"And I love you."

We hung up and I slipped back into sleep with a smile on my face.

The next day I spent at the lab, waiting for Clint to fly me back to Malibu. Tony had succeeded on both bases, so now we were finished temporarily with our missions. I got so bored just sitting around that I called him to ask about a slight glitch I'd found in the shield and we worked it out over facetime. It was strange to talk to him, but at the same time it felt so natural. I laughed at his comments almost as much as I smiled at Steve's. Once we figured out the glitch, he ended up just playfully mocking me for having left my phone on the plane. "It was a gift." He told me. "And you tossed it away when you needed it most. Good job."

I just rolled my eyes, which he could see since it was facetiming, and told him to fuck off.

Besides Tony, I also called Wanda and talked to Jane, who seemed to be pulling herself together well. My ride was leaving in a couple hours when I got another call. I was confused, wondering what friend I hadn't talked to that would be calling me now.

The caller ID showed up as 'Courtney', and my eyes widened. I don't know why, but I picked up the call.

"Nika? Hi! I just wanted to apologize for the thousandth time."

"And I don't give a damn for the thousandth time."

"Please forgive me!"

Since I never hadn't really ever gotten to give her a piece of my mind and I was feeling especially irritable and tired that day, I left the base so I could chew her out in peace. She waited patiently on the other side of the line while I wandered a little ways away into a sandy space nearby.

"Forgive you? You think I'd forgive you? Courtney, we had some nice times when we were friends, but being friends is built on a little thing called 'trust'. You spilled my biggest secret to the entire world, betraying not only me but my mom too. She never wanted this to get out, and to know it had would've crushed her. She tried to perpetuate the rumor that she was a widow, so she didn't end up with a reputation as a slut. Now she does thanks to you. How the hell did you even find out?"

"When you were talking to Tony, I realized the both of you look alike. Then I remembered how smart you are and your love of cars and stuff and I pieced stuff together. I actually know you a little more than you think; I'm smart too."

I could sense a trace of bitterness in her voice, but I couldn't tell why it was there. Was she jealous? "Well I'm glad you've used that apparently big brain of yours to ruin my life."

"Oh yeah, it must really suck to be an Avenger and to hang out with the biggest celebrities on the planet."

"It's not all cake and cuddling." I snorted. But really, she was kinda right. I liked how my life had become while I was with the Avengers. Wanda was super cool and, well, I couldn't imagine living without Steve. I recalled my old pact to myself to not regret my life choices. Would I regret shoving Courtney away? Probably not, but the way I was yelling at her only reminded me of how I'd yelled at my mom just before she died. If Courtney suddenly died, I realized I didn't want my final interaction with her to be hate. She had been there for me back when I was all alone, and that had to be worth something.

"Courtney- "

I never got to say I forgave her, because in that moment, a hand clamped over my mouth. I screamed.

"Nika? What's wrong?" Courtney asked, but the phone was pried from my fingers and smashed under a boot so I didn't get to reply.

I struggled against the arms that wrapped around me, but I was growing weary fast. The hand over my mouth and nose had a soft scent to it, which I realized while drifting out of consciousness was some sort of knock out powder. The world went black around me.


	11. Chapter 11: The Erthymen

**A/N: *drama*. This chapter may be short but it's kinda important xD sorry it took so long to upload, but I had to rewrite it several times to really convey the plot like I wanted to. Hope you like it! Please tell me what you think and review :) Disclaimer: Same as last chapter**

Voices buzzed around my head and I felt my body move several times, but I wasn't even close to being conscious enough to wake up. I felt maybe ninety percent comatose. The voices ceased, leaving me alone, and I faded entirely from the awareness.

The world came back into focus slowly, and I finally felt my body again. My eyes blinked slowly opening, meeting with the bright light of some sort of cell. I lay on a hard, plastic cot and on the other side of there was a plain toilet and metal sink. On the wall near my head, there was a door with no doors or visible doorknobs.

I stood up, swaying a little after my prolonged inactivity, and examined myself. The cuts upon my arms were nearly healed, it worried me how long I must've been out for that to happen, and my finger was cleanly splinted to the one next to it. It seemed to be healing nicely.

I tested my ankle, which was wrapped in bandages, on the metal floor and found that it had it was on the mend as well; it barely hurt. Sitting back down, I took a mental assessment, trying to remember what had happened. I couldn't remember anything besides Courtney calling and the hand over my mouth. All besides that was just indistinguishable voices and jostling. I didn't know where I was, who had caught me, or why I was being held captive. I couldn't help but inwardly panic a little at those observations. Nervous energy fueled my veins, and I stood up and starting pounding on the wall.

"I'm awake!" I said. "What do you want from me?"

I received no answer, not even after trying again several times over an hour. My thoughts ran wild, and I wondered if they perhaps just intended to leave me in the cell to rot to death without letting me see the sun again. I panicked, feeling my heartbeat speed up and my body shake uncontrollably.

Before I could full blown freak out, the door slid open and two men stepped in, one of them looking grim and the other slightly scared. My fear quickly snapped into surprise and curiosity. The scared one was short, with dark skin and pale hair that covered his head and a scruffy beard on his face. He was youngish, maybe ten years older than me. His companion was quite the opposite. His skin was sickly pale and his dark hair was slicked back like a cartoon super-villian. His age was hard to discern, but I guessed he was maybe forty or a little older.

"Hello, Nika Stark." The short man said, his voice heavily accented with an African sound. He practically spat the last name 'Stark'. "My name is…" He paused and looked to his friend, seeming to be seeking approval. The friend merely nodded. Doctor Dante Domoke. And this is my employer."

"Does he have a name?"

"No. At least not one you need to know."

Now I was curious. "Why not?" I pried.

He looked to his friend, who did not nod this time. "That's not for you to know."

"But now I really want to know."

I fear in his expression turned to loathing of me. "I don't care what you want. You may or may not have noticed, but you are a _prisoner_."

"And why is that? What do you want from me?" I wanted to ask why they hadn't killed me, but if the idea hadn't occurred to him, I didn't want to plant it.

"We need you to…" He looked to his friend for guidance and something passed between them that I didn't understand. "To, uh, help us create some weapons."

"No."I said defiantly, though I feared the repercussions. I also got the feeling he wasn't really telling the full truth.

"You don't get the choice."

"Yes I do. And I say no."

Unspoken communication passed between the two again. "You can choose for yourself after you see the lab."

"I refuse to see the lab."

"But that's where the Eythmen is kept."

"The what?"

"The Eythmen. The substance we've been using to…create weapons. It has been acting up recently." He winced like saying so caused him pain. "And we want you to examine it."

I couldn't help it; I was sorely tempted. Examining the Eythmen, as they called it, was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I couldn't just pass that up. I had to know how it worked. "What's in it for me?"Besides scientific discovery, which is amazing, I thought secretly to myself.

"Your life." He told me with a shrug.

It wouldn't hurt to just see the lab would it? I rationalized to myself. Deep down, I knew I was just terrified by the threat he implied. "Fine. I'll do what you want. Just show me whatever lab holds this 'Eythmen'."

"You can't order me around!" Dr. Domoke snapped. Almost immediately, he clenched his fists like he was in great pain. He snuck a glare at his 'employer'. "But, yes, I will take you. Come with me."

The door slid back open again and he walked out. His friend stared at me, his eyes seeming to bore into my soul. Uncomfortable, I skittered out behind Dr. Domoke to get away.

The hallway was dark and smelled slightly of mildew, and the lab across the building wasn't that much better. I found it hard to believe that this was the headquarters of a terrorist crew that had killed thousands and destroyed millions worth of property. Involuntary chills ran down my spine at the eeriness of it all.

In the center of the dark lab, a glass structure, the most high tech thing in the room, housed a purple substance which swirled around aggressively. I couldn't resist the urge to tap the glass, and the purple substance reached out towards my hand. I quickly retracted it.

"No. Damn it. It's too early. We aren't ready." The Dante guy exclaimed, a phone pressed to his ear. I cocked an eyebrow at him but he merely glared at me. For some reason, his employer had disappeared. "Alight. The target was placed, so we'll all just have to get out quick. He says he'll follow us after."

Just like that, he ran from the room, leaving me alone with the eythmen. I ran after him, but paused halfway to the door. Did this mean I was free? I asked myself, why would he just leave?

I knew I should probably take the opportunity to leave, but I found myself inexplicably drawn to the substance in the glass casing. Somehow, figuring it out seemed ten times more important than escape or figuring out what the sounds of destruction down the hall were.

I walked towards the material, watching it shift around like one possessed. I just had to know its secrets. Behind me, something shattered and I was knocked from my stupor. I turned around to see Steve standing there with Wanda shooting red energy balls at something. Someone down the hall screamed, but I didn't have time to care, because suddenly the substance burst free of the containment and pushed into my brain.

Pain exploded throughout my mind, and I lost feeling of my body. I screamed at the top of my lungs, but then blackness engulfed me.

I 'woke' in a reality I knew was beyond my body. I had no form, just drifted about as a consciousness. "Where am I?" I asked, though I had no voice.

"Hello." My own voice, twisted somehow, replied.

"Who are you? What's going on?"

"I am Eythmen. I have no voice, so I must use yours."

If I'd had eyes, they would've widened in surprise. "You're the Eythmen? I…it's nice to meet you? Why are you in my mind?"

There was a brief silence in my head, and I wondered if he'd left. It that was true, I didn't know how I was supposed to get out of this: was I trapped? Thankfully, his, my, voice broke back into the silence and spoke again. "Did you know I could give you unlimited power? I could give you knowledge of the universe, give you whatever you wanted. I am omniscient, you know."

"What are you?"

"I am energy. Power. I lay dominant on Chagaffiji, a distant planet, just waiting for someone to come awaken me. One day, he finally came and I have copied in his personality. His goals are my goals and his methods are mine."

"What does 'he' want?"

"Death to the Avengers. To New York. To America."

Fear coursed through my metaphysical veins; he seemed like he might be able to actually accomplish that goal. "What do you want from me?" Once I got the words out in my mind, I turned from scared to mad. I just wanted him to go away.

"You're unstable." He told me, a humored tone in his voice.

"What?" His observation seemed so random, but I had a sinking feeling it didn't mean good things for me.

"And you know what instability leads to? Chaos."

"What?"

"You just need a little push, and you could be a disaster. I'll give you that push. I'll curse you to be chaos. You will be my weapon to destroy the Avengers from the inside. I can read their care for you from your mind, and it will be their defeat. Thanks for making this easy, girl. Maybe I'll even reward you for this in the end, if your chaos doesn't cause your own death." With a sickening laugh, I felt his presence slip from my mind while something completely different was happening inside me. It was as if my very genes were being rewritten and it was tearing me apart. I screamed again, this time knowing it translated into the physical world. I was returning there, though the pain blocked my perception of it. I was in pain. So much pain. And so many unanswered questions. What was happening? Why was it happening? What did the Eythmen want? I had no memories of what he'd said, and that terrified me.

Suddenly, the pain disappeared completely. My eyes ripped open, and I found myself lying in the arms of Steve with Wanda standing above with a confused and concerned expression. In the corner of my vision, I say the Eythmen slipping away through the air and out an air vent. Weariness overtook my limbs, and I closed my eyes again. I didn't even have the energy to wonder how Wanda and Steve got there.

"What just happened?" Steve asked.

"I don't know, but I read that thing, and all I found was malice. It plans to tear us apart, though I know not how, and he seems confident he'll succeed." Wanda said, her voice grim.


	12. Chapter 12: An American Tradition

**AN: just as a disclaimer before you read- I know nothing about electricity or cars xD I'm vague because I have no idea what I'm talking about. Hope you like this chapter; it's a lot lighter than some of the others. Please review and tell me what you think! Disclaimer: same as always**

Over the next hour, we left the enemy base that was inside a Canadian mountain on our quinjets. Behind us, the whole place quietly exploded under the supervision of some of our agents. We didn't want to cause a ruckus among the people who lived on the mountain, but we also couldn't allow the base to be open for the terrorists to return.

In the cargo ship of the plane, Steve and Wanda explained to me how they'd come to find me. The lab I'd been kept in was one of the labs they planned to inspect, so when news of my capture came in and the cars were traced to this particular lab, it was a perfect clue. I learned during the story that I'd been out for over a week, which seemed terribly frightening. I wrote a note in my phone to figure out what it was they drugged me with to keep me out so long, since I was sincerely curious. Besides that, I also added to my list 'figure out what the hell the eythmen did to me and what it is'. The pain of his interference in my body had faded away, but I felt different somehow, almost a foreigner in my own body. I needed to get back to Tony's lab, where I felt safe, and start running tests on myself. Privately. I didn't want the others to start thinking weird things of me before I even know what had happened. That was why, as far as Steve knew, I felt totally fine.

Steve had to go talk to the pilot, so Wanda and I were left alone. I ached at talk to him and to feel his arms around me again, but I knew this was not the time. Wanda stared at me, a quizzical expression on her face. I had a feeling she was trying to dig into my head.

"I can't read you. Your mind is blocked." She told me.

My eyebrows furrowed. "By what? I'm not doing it."

"I believe it was that thing, whatever he was, that invaded your mind and infects your eyes."

"'Infects my eyes'?"

"Oh. You haven't seen it, I forgot." She touched my head and I could see myself suddenly the way she saw me through her weird telepathy gift. I looked like a wild thing, with tangled hair and ratty clothes, but the most startling bit of my appearance was my eyes. All my life, they'd been a subtle brown, like my fathers, yet now they shined in a vibrant lilac. It was disconcertingly like the color of the Eythmen.

Wanda pulled back and I put a hand over my mouth, reeling with shock. "My eyes…are purple." I said shakily.

She nodded. "And so is the fog around your mind. What happened when that thing talked to you?"

"Eythmen." I corrected her. "And…I don't remember. It's like those five minutes of my life have been wiped from my mind. All I remember was him entering my mind and then waking up with you two there."

"How did you know that it's called Erythmen?"

"That's what they, the guys who worked with the terrorists, told me. They said it's the thing that powers their weapons."  
"What is it?"

"I'm not sure. I never got a chance to analyze it."

"We need to try harder to find it. I don't like what it's done to you."

"Neither do I."

We touched down in LA late that afternoon and despite the amount of time I'd spent unconscious over the past few days, I went up to my room and went straight to sleep. I awoke around ten am the next morning, and I quickly brushed on subtle gold makeup, put on a navy tank top and plain shorts, and pulled my hair into a high ponytail. I started walking down the stairway but paused when I heard voices. Though I recognized Wanda and Clint's voices, there was a third voice, a masculine one with an accent that was similar to Wanda's. I paused, trying to think of who it could be. Then, the obvious answer hit me; it was Pietro! Two weeks ago, hard to believe all that time had passed, Wanda told me he'd return in two weeks and here he was.

I bounded down the rest of the stairs, eager to meet my friend's famous brother. There he stood in the doorway, looking not sick at all. The most obvious feature of his face was the silver blond hair that framed it, which I had to admit, was undeniably attractive. If I wasn't taken and madly in love with someone else, I may have had a crush on him; I totally had a thing for blonds.

"Hi!" I said approaching the group in the doorway. Pietro and the others looked up, and Wanda smiled at me.

"This is Pietro, my brother. " She said, then she turned to him. "Pietro, this is Nika."

"Nice to meet you." We said, one after the other. I smiled slightly and he just stared at me.

"How does it feel to be released from the hospital?" I asked.

"It's the best feeling. I was sick of being there, when I have been healed enough to leave for months."

"That's not true; you needed months to be sure the wounds wouldn't open back up." Wanda said with a faint roll of her eyes.

"Eh, I would've been fine." Pietro shrugged.

"Anyways," Clint said, breaking up the twins' bickering. "Pietro, your room is upstairs on the left. You might want to get settled, since we want you to start training again today and tomorrow."

"Wait, tomorrow? Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, aren't you all gonna take a break and celebrate that?" I cut in, confused. I'd assumed Tony had a party planned or something.

"What is this Thanksgiving?" Pietro asked.

I almost was freaked out that he didn't know, but then I realized he was foreign. I laughed. "I forgot you aren't from here. Thanksgiving is a day where families, or friends, get together and hold a feast to celebrate all the blessing in their lives."

"It's a feast then? Sokovia had something similar in early spring, where we all got together and celebrated the beginning of the season of growth." Wanda informed me.

"We should throw a party for that here whenever that day comes around." I was thrilled to have more reasons to throw parties, which I loved. "But we are doing something tomorrow, right?"

"No." Clint said, shrugging.

"Why not?" My eyebrows furrowed.

"Everyone's usually busy."

"That's a lame reason. And this time, aren't most of the Avengers together? Natasha and Tony got back yesterday, Pietro and Wanda are here, you're here, That Warmachine guy is here, and Steve's back too."

"We also have important work to do."

"Too bad. I'm throwing a party or, er, a feast I guess." Now I was determined, and I hoped he knew better than to try to stop me. "Just among us, though, nothing big."

"I'd like to see an American holiday." Wanda said, backing me up.

Pietro shrugged. "Whatever." Wanda elbowed him.

Clint sighed. "I'm not even going to be there, I'm going home, but I'll tell Steve to rearrange the schedules so the rest of you can eat dinner together or something. I guess we can call it 'team bonding.'"

"Nah, don't trouble yourself. I'll tell Steve." A particular phase he'd said stood out to me. "You're going 'home' where?"

"Classified." He gruffly told me, before receiving a call on his Bluetooth and leaving to answer it. I glared after him, now desperately wanting to know what his home was. I hating not being told things, and I planned to rip this secret out of him one way or another eventually.

I turned back to Wanda and Pietro, who were whispering something to each other. They seemed happy to just be back together, so I thought it best to just leave them to each other. "I'm going to go talk to Steve about this." I told them. "I'll see you guys around."

Leaving them behind, I wandered through the main rooms of the house, trying to find Steve. Eventually, I discovered him in the living room talking to Natasha about what the team's next move should be. I waited until they were done and Natasha walked away to ambush Steve. I walked over to him with my arms crossed, resonating disapproval.

"What?" He asked, looking confused and slightly intimidated. "What did I do?"

"You, sir, are supposed to be the most patriotic of all of us."

"Am I not? Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you?"

"No, you've hurt everyone on the planet."

"What? How?"

I couldn't help it; I cracked. I couldn't keep up pretending to be mad when he seemed so genuinely concerned. My mouth upturned into a smile.

Playfully shoving his chest, I accused, "You totally forgot about Thanksgiving."

He relaxed, like a weight had been taken from his shoulders, but he was still serious when he replied, "I didn't even think about it. I haven't really celebrated it in years. There was a war on, and before that, I didn't really have a family to celebrate with."

"Well, you're celebrating it this year with me and the team. You have a family now."

"I know."

"Alright, so you need to postpone any plans for tomorrow and we can all just be together and celebrate. You all work so hard; it'll be good for you."

"But we have things to get done and bases to protect and-"

I rose onto my toes and kissed him, effectively shutting him up. "For one day, we can just pretend like it all doesn't exist. You all are so interesting, and I need an opportunity to get to know you all more if I'm going to stay and help you. Besides, I want one good Thanksgiving to remember that isn't just me and my mom eating canned corn bread and dry turkey wings from the frozen section in the Dollar Store."

"Canned corn bread?"

"It's this really gross food my mom loved and said was 'an American tradition'."

"Do I need to try it in order to be part of current times?"

I laughed, rolling my eyes. "No. Unless you think the twenty first century is defined by fake sugar and watery bread."

"Is it?" He joked.

"Nope."

A sudden blast echoed through the house and I jumped back, pulling my hands from where they'd been resting in Steve's. "What the hell was that?" I exclaimed.

"Language." Steve muttered under his breath. I raised an eyebrow at him, trying not to laugh. I quickly sobered at the sight of Tony stomping up the stairs and typing something into the screen on the wall.

"What happened?" I asked.

"The electricity just failed downstairs. I don't understand how it happened."

"Did the fuse blow out? Where you using a bunch of electricity to overload the system?"

He rolled his eyes. "I'm a little smarter than that, you know."

"You never know."

"Thanks for the faith in me."

"Anytime."

He turned his attention back to the monitor, muttered something under his breath, and went back downstairs.

"I probably should go help him." I sighed, annoyed that the first time I'd been alone with Steve in forever was interrupted.

"Yes. That sounded like a big explosion, no matter what the problem was." He said seriously at Tony's retreating form. His expression softened when he turned back to me. "Would you want to maybe get dinner with me later this week?"

I smiled brightly. "I'd love that! We've been so busy lately…I'd love that."

"Great. I'll make reservations somewhere."

"Won't people get suspicious?" I was confused that he wanted to basically publicly reveal our relationship.

"I'll do it under different names, of course."

"Oh." I said, trying to hide the disappointment I didn't know I'd feel. "Yeah that makes sense." I kissed him on the cheek. "I gotta go help Tony; I'll see you later!"

I ambled down the stairs, catching sight of some of the other Avengers come into the living room as I left. No doubt they were asking about the noise. It was a lucky break they hadn't come thirty seconds before, when Steve and I were kissing. That may've given some people suspicions about our relationship.

Entering Tony's lab, barely even having to try when I overrode the code, I found Tony sitting in front of the monitor and staring at a bunch of angry red warning signs.

I came up behind him, reading the monitor when I was close enough to see it. The red dots marked what seemed to be holes in much of the electrical wiring in the house.

"I don't understand how this happened." Tony muttered, jotting down notes about something on his tablet. He turned to me. "Was this you?"

"What? Why would I do that?"

"Revenge? A prank? I don't know. It's something I would've done when I was younger." He seemed tired, and his insults only halfhearted.

"Well, this wasn't me. I don't understand how this happened; how could someone even get to half of these wires?" I scanned the map, finding wires cut behind the walls where people couldn't have gotten to without anyone noticing. "Do you think maybe they just snapped due to strain?"

"Simultaneously?"

"Yeah…that's probably improbable."

"You think?"

"Well, I can't think of any other ideas. Now, though, we should probably just focus on fixing the wires. Are we running on emergency power right now?"

"Yes. It should be able to last out for a couple days, but then we'll need this back online." He sighed irritatedly, rubbing his temple. "It's going to take forever."

"Not if we…" A plan was forming in my head, and I explained it to Tony while gesturing to the screen as a reference .He added onto the plan, and soon we were working to fix the system in tandem, working together like old partners. It still surprised me that I got on so well with him, despite how I thought I'd hate him. He didn't feel like my father, not by a long shot, but I could almost consider him a friend now. Although he could be extremely self-centered half the time we were working, he was also great at matching my sarcasm.

When we finished working, he pulled out some champagne and we toasted our success.

"By the way, I've decided to throw a party with the team for Thanksgiving tomorrow."I told him while we drank.

"Why?"

"Because I like Thanksgiving. It's got a great message to it."

He rolled his eyes. "You sound like Steve."

"Is that such a bad thing? Steve's a good guy."

He stared at me, like he was trying to read me. "Are you two…?"

My eyes widened, surprised that he'd figure it out so easy, but I hid my shock by calming sipping the champagne. "Are we what?"

"Together?"

"Why would you think that?"I asked coolly.

He narrowed his eyes, and I could tell he didn't believe me. I quickly changed the subject, doubting I could keep up the lie with him staring at me. I hated people staring at me. "Why haven't you ever thrown a Thanksgiving party here? I hear you throw a lot of parties."

He shrugged. "Thanksgiving just seems too personal, too family oriented. I didn't think it was appropriate."I had a feeling he was still running the possibility of Steve and I being in a relationship through his head, but he humored me in my change of subject.

"Like you've always done what was socially acceptable." I laughed.

"I have my moments."

Before I could reply, my phone buzzed. It was a spam text, but it alerted me to the fact it was already three in the afternoon. "I've gotta go." I told Tony, setting down my glass. "I'm going to go get a turkey or something. I've never cooked for Thanksgiving, so I don't really know what it entails, but I'll figure it out. Do you want to come shopping with me?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Do I look like an errand boy?"

I snorted. "Nah you just look like a slob."

"What?" He looked down at himself, seeing for the first time the oil stain running down the front of his ACDC shirt.

He tried to rub it off then shrugged, giving up. "Speaking of appearances, what the hell happened to your eyes?"

"My eyes?" It took me second to remember what he was talking about. After I'd explained everything to Steve and Wanda, no one else had said anything and I'd forgotten my eyes were now an unnatural color. "Oh, yeah. I came into contact with that substance the terrorists gave been using and it turned my eyes purple."

"How?"

"I'm not sure. I'm going to do some tests on it later, but I don't care that much. I think it suits me." I flipped my hair dramatically. "Don't you?"

Despite my joke, he was still surprisingly serious. "But you 'came into contact' with the gas? What is it? What did you learn?"

I sighed, my humor deflating. "Nothing. And it's been bothering me ever since. I can't stand not knowing what it is when it's managed to affect me so much." My phone buzzed again, and I remembered that I'd meant to go. "I really need to go now. See you later."

I could feel his eyes on me as I left, probably analyzing what I'd said and wondering about the Eythmen. I was relieved when I finally went up the stairs and left his line of vision.

Not wanting to go by myself, I looked around the house to find someone to force to go with me. In the corner of the kitchen, Wanda and Pietro were catching up while drinking coffee. I hated to interrupt them, but I really didn't want to go alone.

"Hey guys!" I said, walking up with a wave.

They looked up, so caught up in catching up that they were startled. "Hey Nika." Wanda said, relaxing. Pietro still seemed tense, looking shiftily at me like I was a hostile alien.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, curious.

He turned to Wanda, having a silent conversation. I ached to know what they were saying, and quickly grew impatient.

"What?" I repeated with exasperation.

"Nothing." Wanda said, glaring at her brother for who knows what reason. I almost pressed the issue, but then realized it might be better to wait. I knew I could manipulate it out of her eventually, yet I had more important things to do then.

"Okk. Do you guys want to come Thanksgiving shopping with me?"

"'Thanksgiving shopping'?" Wanda asked.

"Yeah, I gotta get groceries and decorations."

"Sure!" Wanda said, ignoring the pointed look from Pietro.

I smiled at her. "Great! I'll meet you guys in the garage."

I left them to hash out whatever problem Pietro had with me among them and entered the garage. There were so many cars, but my eyes landed only on the yellow custom Porsche halfway across the garage. My dream car as a child had always been a Porsche, so I ran towards it like a child running to a candy store. I stroked the side of the car, fangirling inwardly. The Porsche had four doors, which was a little odd, but other than that it was perfect. "FRIDAY?" I called, knowing the AI system could hear me wherever I was.

"Yes, miss Stark?" She asked.

"Marianna." I muttered under my breath before telling her, "Unlock the Porsche. I wanna drive it."

"You're not authorized to drive that car."

"That's bullshit, just let me in the car."

"As you wish."

I heard the door unlock and I hopped inside, sinking into the leather seats. Pietro and Wanda were walking towards the car, so I turned on the engine with the keys that had been left in the ignition and they got in. Pietro still didn't look thrilled, and he stared out the back window as I drive through the driveway and onto the open road. Wanda, on the other hand, was in a great mood. She and I sang along to the radio, at least the few American songs she knew, as we coasted down the roads. The car hummed beneath me, and I reveled in the feeling of being in a well built car. I wasn't sure I'd ever driven something so nice.

After a fun ten minute drive, we reached the Food 4 Less parking lot and I parked the Porsche in the back, so hopefully less people would see it. Wanda and I put on sunglasses and Pietro put on a hat to lessen the chances of us getting recognized, and we entered the store. While grabbing a cart and heading towards the first aisle, I realized I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I had never gotten groceries for Thanksgiving before, and I had no plan of attack or list of what I needed.

"This ought to be interesting." I commented under my breath.

"What do we do first?" Wanda asked me.

I shrugged. "I guess go get the turkey. That's a typical American dish on Thanksgiving. I don't know how to cook it but…I'm sure I can figure it out. I drove the cart towards the meat section, and Wanda and I put our heads together and tried to pick out how big a turkey we should get.

Over the next hour and a half, Wanda, Pietro, and I went around the store like that. I listed typical Thanksgiving dishes I could think of and we bought the ingredients. At first, Pietro still held his grudge against me, but he slowly opened up. By the end of our adventure, he laughed just as freely as Wanda and I. Every once in a while, I'd catch him looking happy when she laughed, and I couldn't help but find it adorable how devoted they were to each other.

I raced down the aisle, pushing the cart in front of me and racing Pietro without him using his powers. Since my ankle had healed when the Erythmen infected me, I was running at full speed, but he jogged beside me like it was nothing. Wanda watched from the end of the aisle, rolling her eyes at us.

Before we were halfway, the sprinkler system suddenly went off. I squealed like a girl, surprised, and tried to stop myself and the cart, but it slid over the water accumulating on the floor. I let go of the handle and found myself slipping backwards, bound to hit my head hard on the tile floor.

A blue flash shot behind me and set me up straight. It all happened so fast that I was left breathless, waiting to process what just happened. Once I could breathe easy again, I turned to Pietro, who stood beside me with a cocky grin on his face.

"Bet you did not see that one coming." He said.

I laughed. "No, I didn't. I guess this means you don't hate me?"

His expression shifted to something akin to thoughtfulness. "No. I guess not."

"Great."The water was still coming down and drenching my clothes and hair. I cart I'd been pushing had rolled down the rest of the aisle without damaging anything, but the bags of food stuff were damp and unappetizing. "You know," I said when Wand ran up to us. "Why don't we just call it a day. We can get delivery tomorrow."

"What happened?"

"Not sure." People around us were muttering to each other and leaving the store, so I doubted there was a serious threat like a fire. It seemed like it was just a technical difficulty, like Tony's electrical problem earlier. A bad feeling settled in my stomach that I knew why those things had happened, but I couldn't remember why. "Let's go, guys." I repeated, walking away to get out of the place before it creeped me out further.

We waited a bit to dry off in the parking lot before getting in the car and driving back home. Soon, I was talking and laughing with both of them, but a feeling of dread for what I just couldn't figure out bothered me for the rest of the day.


	13. Chapter 13: So, You and Steve?

**A/N: Hey guys! SORRY this is super late but I have been sick over the past week and was too tired to edit. I hope you like it; review and tell me what you think! Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers :(**

I woke up on Thanksgiving morning with something of a spring in my step. I hummed while I showered and played pop music while I applied my makeup and did my hair. Since it was a holiday, I dressed up a little, wearing a nice gray sweater and ripped jean shorts.

I nearly skipped downstairs for breakfast and poured myself some coffee and a bowl of cereal. No one else was up yet, since Steve gave them the day off on my request, so I sat down at the table and scrolled through twitter on my phone.

Soon, I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. I hoped it was Wanda or Steve, but to my disappointment, it was just Natasha.

"Hi." I said nonchalantly.

She poured herself some coffee and sat across from me. "Hey."

"Uh…how are you?"

"Fine."

"Sleep well?"

"In a sense."

"Got big plans for today?"

She smirked. "What is this? An interrogation?"

"Maybe. I feel like I know nothing about you." I leaned forward on my hand, staring at her. "What are your deepest secrets Natasha?" I was mostly joking, but a part of me was really curious. I didn't understand her at all, and I really wanted to. Out of all the Avengers, I had a feeling she'd be hardest to ever crack.

"What are yours?" She countered, calmly sipping her coffee.

I leaned back. "Good point. But really, tell me _something_ about you."

"Hmm I once killed a man using only my thumb. Now tell me something about you."

I really wasn't surprised, but now I had no story to counter that. I wasn't exactly a superspy and I'd only lived nineteen years."I once, uh, fucked this really weird nerd guy because someone dared me to."

"Wow, you should really win points for charity."

"Thanks. I agree."

We lapsed into silence before Natasha said. "So, you and Steve?"

"What about us?"

"Aren't you a little young to be with a 95 year old man?"

"When you put it like that, it does sound a little creepy. But even if he looked and acted ninety, I don't think that'd change my feelings."

"That in love, huh?"

"Something like that."

Behind me, I heard footsteps and I turned to see Steve entering the kitchen. He paused, looking between the both of us.

"Hey, Rogers. We were just talking about you."

"All nice things, all nice things." I said, quoting Olaf. They both looked at me like I was crazy. "What? Neither of you have seen Frozen?"

"Is that that Disney princess movie there were advertisements everywhere for?"

"Yes! I hated every second of it, there some serious scientific flaws with her powers, but I still watched it. You can't be human if you haven't. Except you Steve, you have an excuse."

"I've been a little too busy to go watch children's movies, if you can believe it." Natasha retorted.

"Whatever grudge you have against children's movies, I think you need to let it go." I laughed at my own joke, ignoring Steve's confused expression and Natasha's eye roll.

Steve grabbed himself a glass of iced coffee and sat down at the table with us. Natasha stayed for a while, but soon left to go call Clint about something. He'd left the night before, and I'd yet to find out where he was going. I tried to pry the information from Steve when Natasha left, but he loyally refused to tell Clint's secret. I should've expected that, but I was still disappointed.

Steve and I talked for the better part of an hour, catching up on recent events. It was nice to talk to him by himself and then with Tony when he showed up later and Wanda and Pietro when they came. I hadn't told anyone, but the real reason I was so insistent on celebrating Thanksgiving was because for the first time in my life, I had people to celebrate it with. Never before in my life had I had so many people that I cared about all at once. I wanted to know how it felt to a have a family, and I felt that this may be the closest I'd ever get.

Around ten thirty, we all rolled into the living room to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Tony's friend, the Rhodes dude, and the other black guy who had wings joined us and when Natasha returned too, the whole team was nearly complete. Despite not actually being an Avenger myself, I didn't feel left out at all. I decided to classify myself as a 'whenever there's not danger' Avenger, since I'd never actually been in battle with them. Also, I was yet to meet Thor or Bruce. I wondered if either of those things could happen.

After the parade, we each dispersed to do our own things for several hours. By evening, we all convened again in Tony's huge dining room. Not being a cook and having lost the groceries from the day before, I ordered delivery from a catering service nearby. The food was meh but the company around me made up for it. Besides, anything was better than my mother's canned cornbread.

I sat at the table beside Tony and Wanda. I hadn't expected it to be an actual sit down dinner, but that's what it turned into. Across from me, Vision, Steve, and Pietro sat, and next to them were Natasha, Falcon, and War Machine. Next to Tony, Pepper sat stoically, seeming a little out of place but she was too confident for it to bother her.

Around the table, little conversations broke out. I started my own with the interesting android across from me. He'd come in earlier in the morning from an extended mission and been roped into joining our feast. I couldn't read him like I could the others, so I made it my mission to figure him out one word at a time. He was a puzzle and I loved puzzles. "So, Vision, how was your mission?" I asked nonchalantly, cutting into my slice of turkey.

"Successful. But I cannot give details due to the confidential nature of the mission."

"I didn't ask about that."

"But you were going to."

I stared at him, wondering how he knew that. "How did you know that? Do you have mid powers like Wanda?" I pointed to the mutant sitting beside me.

He shook his head. "I do not possess mind reading abilities. You are just very easy to read."

"Am I easy to read?" I asked incredulously, turning to Wanda.

She shrugged. "I do not know what you mean."

"Like, can you tell what I'm thinking…that's a poor question for you." I realized with a laugh. I pointed at Falcon with my fork. "So I'll ask you instead. Can you tell what I'm thinking."

"Not really, but I haven't ever tried."

"Steve?"

"No. I rarely know what you're thinking."

"Good. You probably don't want to know." I smirked, then changed the subject away from myself. "Vision, I heard you can like change your density, is it true?"

"It is."

"How is that possible? How are you possible?" I was curious, since I'd never really understood. I turned to Tony, interrupting his and Pepper's conversation. "How did you make him?"

"It was a mixture of things." He began, subsequently telling me the story of what he'd done to create Vision. The others moved into a conversation of their own, and Pepper listened to the two of us, quietly sipping her wine. I didn't think I'd ever actually had a conversation with her, and honestly I was a little apprehensive for it. What would she think of me, being the daughter of her boyfriend?

The dreaded conversation between her and I finally happened when Tony left to get more food and Pepper and I were left to each other. "So, ah, nice to meet you, Nika. I don't think we've ever been introduced." She said, breaking the awkward silence that had settled between us.

"You too." I wasn't sure what else to say. "You know, I really admire the way you've taken control of Stark Industries." It was the best conversation starter I could think of.

"Oh. Thanks. It's been a lot of work over the years, cleaning up Tony's messes, but I think it's been worth it. I enjoy it."

"That's…nice. I suppose there were a lot of messes to deal with. Did you ever meet my mother?" I realized too late that might be a touchy subject, and I winced.

"Maybe once, before she left. She seemed like a very energetic person."

I snorted. "Energetic is one word for it. Crazy is a better one. My mother was a nut until the end."

"That's very blunt of you to say." Pepper seemed a little flustered.

"It's the truth. So, how are you? I haven't seen you around here very often, or ever."

Relief at the change in subject flashed across her features. "Being CEO keeps me very busy back in New York."

"Ah I suppose it would. Do you live in the Tower?"

"Yes. Actually, I was part of the team that designed it originally."

Tony plopped back into his chair, blocking my view of Pepper. "I'm back. Miss me much?"

"As much as one misses visiting the dentist." I retorted, rolling my eyes.

"Gee, thanks." Tony told me sarcastically, before turning to say something to Pepper. I moved onto a different conversation with Steve across the table.

"Hey, Nika." Falcon said, catching my attention.

"What?" I asked, one eyebrow raised.

"What happened to your eyes? I just noticed."

"A substance called Eythmen infected Nika's body and it changed her eye color, though she does not remember what happened." Vision responded for me.

"Is your name Nika?" I snapped at him. "Besides, how the hell do you even know that?"

"Language." Tony said, poking fun at Steve.

Steve stared at him, not amused."It's been months- time to get a new joke."

"I make it my business to stay updated on the actions of my team."Vision ignored Tony and Steve's interruption.

"So you're stalking me?"

"That is not correct wording for it."

"But you don't deny it's stalking?"

"I don't think that quite fits the description of the word either." Wanda cut in, a bit of humor sparkling in her eyes.

"Whose side are you on?"

I caught Pietro's eyes and he stared at me, seeming to try to get a message through. I had no idea what he was trying to say, so I just gave him a weird look. For the next twenty minutes, Wanda talked to Vision and I wasn't sure what to think with Pietro glaring at them both. I simply watched, amused by the show.

"Look at the time." Tony said, pulling out his phone. "Football is on."

He and most of the guys, besides Vision and Pietro left, to watch whatever game was on. I too loved a good football game, but I wasn't in the mood at the moment. I looked around the few friends that remained. "Well, ladies plus Vision and Pietro, looks like we're alone." I pushed aside my plate and rose. "It's stuffy in here. Who wants to come outside with me?"

Natasha shrugged. "Sure."

Pepper was busy on her phone. "I'm sorry; I have to take this call."

"I'll come." Pietro and Wanda both said near simultaneously.

"Since I would not like to watch football, I will gladly join the rest of you all." Vision told us. I almost wished he'd refused. The guy was beginning to annoy me with his uptight attitude.

"Whatever." I led the crew outside and took them down to the beach. Wind blew across the sand, giving a cool but not unpleasant temperature. Upon the beach, there were very few people besides a few stray surfers and couples.

I brushed my hair behind my ear, turning to the Avengers who'd come with me. "Any of you guys want to swim with me?"I asked, spontaneously desiring to feel the salty water on my skin. I didn't even care that I was fully clothed, and the dip would drench my clothes.

"We've never been in the ocean before." Wanda noted, staring at the waves.

My eyes widened. "Never? God, you haven't lived! Come swim with me."

"I'm not really dressed for that."

"So? Jump in anyway."

Wanda and Pietro looked at each other, exchanging silent words. He seemed more eager than her, but she finally gave in and said we could swim.

"What about you?" I asked Natasha and Vision.

"No, the ocean and swimming's not for me. But you kids have fun." Natasha declined.

Vision decided to stay with her, and Pietro, Wanda, and I went to the water alone. I grabbed both of their arms and rushed in, not allowing them to hesitate.

The water was cold on my skin and goosebumps raised on it, but I barely noticed. Letting go of their arms when we were waist deep in the waves, I dove under. I stayed under the water as long as my lungs could stand it, then kicked to the surface for breath. I grinned at Wanda, who returned a small smile. She was more cautious, not ready to just jump in, but Pietro had already gone under. Something brushed past my leg and I was yanked under. I kicked out, trying to free myself from my captor and my foot collided with Pietro's face. We tussled playfully under the water and I eventually won, pulling free and rising to the surface laughing. Pietro soon joined me and we laughed hysterically, despite the strange look Wanda was giving us. Perhaps we were acting like children; I wasn't ashamed. After all, neither of us was even above twenty, so we didn't have to be adults.

Eventually, Pietro and I pulled Wanda into a splash war and we swam around like crazy people. I almost forgot Natasha was on the beach until she yelled. "Nika, Steve's texting you." I felt like she emphasized the word 'Steve' but it could've just been my imagination. I tensed at the thought, relaxing when I remembered she was the only other one who knew of Steve and I being together.

"I'll be back in a minute."I told her, having to shout over the sound of the waves. I trudged out of the water and onto the shore, cringing at the feel of sand sticking to the bottoms of my feet. I grabbed the phone from Natasha's hand and opened the three unopened texts.

" _Where are you_?" Steve asked. " _Are you alright_?" " _Nika_?"

I looked at the time, surprised to see nearly half an hour had passed. " _Hey! Sorry I didn't have my phone on. I took Wanda and Pietro to the beach and took them to the ocean since they'd never been before. What did you need_?"

" _Nothing. I was just worried about you_."

" _Oh that's sweet. Well, I'm fine. I'll be back soon_."

"Hey!" I called to Wanda and Pietro, who were again playing in the water. Wanda was laughing freely, something Pietro and I seemed the only ones able to get her to do. "Guys! I'm going back to the house."

"Okay." Pietro said. He picked up Wanda from the waves, ignoring her surprised expression. "Meet you there." He ran off, of course faster than I could even see.

"Bastard!" I called after him. "Has he ever done that to you?" I asked Natasha and Vision.

Natasha rolled her eyes. "Of course. He loves doing that."

"I'll get him back later." I vowed.

The three of us left trudged back to the house at a human pace. I was dripping water and shivering in the wind, but I didn't mind too much. The day had been great, and it'd take a lot to put me in a bad mood.

I entered the front door and went upstairs to get changed. On the way, I bumped into Steve. "Hey." I said cheerfully, diverted from my task. "How was football?"

He shrugged. "I'm not very familiar with the teams."

"That's too bad. If I were you, I'd follow the Raiders. They are the best team."

"Why?"

"Because they're a great team and I root for them. Seriously, though, if you don't root for them then I can't talk to you anymore."

"I definitely don't want that."

"You do realize that you are dripping sea water on million dollar stairs, right?" Came Tony's voice. I hadn't noticed him walk up to the bottom of the stairs.

"Not like you don't have the money to replace it." I flipped my hair, strewing droplets all over to annoy him.

"What kind of a guest are you?" He joked drily.

"The annoying mother-in-law that you can't stand but can't kick out." I turned back to Steve. "Talk to you later; I've got to go change before the maid had a fit."

I padded up the stairs, finally going to my room and toweling off. My clothes were soaked through, so I hung them up on the shower to dry off. I changed into jeans and a flannel, navy plaid shirt, since I felt a little cold. I blew dry my dark hair, even putting in the effort to curl it when I was done. I fixed up my mascara and liquid eyeliner then brushed on some lip gloss for a little pizzazz.

All this took nearly an hour, so by the time I went downstairs, it was nearly eight. The other Avengers were scattered around, having individual conversation or having gone out. Tony and Pepper went out to get drinks, Steve and Natasha were talking about missions, which they never seemed to be able to stop talking about for long (I personally found it adorable how devoted Steve was to his job), Wanda and Pietro were watching a film in Sokovian, War Machine had gone home, Vision was I didn't care where, and Falcon was I didn't care where either.

For once, I didn't feel particular eager to find out what was going on in the world of Natasha and Steve; I doubted it was any new news. So, I instead joined Wanda and Pietro. I had only a basic understanding of their native language, but it was just enough to more or less follow along. Eventually, the movie ended and we moved on to watching a popular modern movie I suggested. Half past midnight, Wanda was asleep on Pietro's shoulder and I quickly slipped away, feeling tired myself.

I fell asleep happy, but when I woke up in the morning, it was completely different. On that day two years ago, my mother had been suddenly killed in a car accident. Memories of her, the rare good ones as well as the bad ones, swam through my head as I lay in bed, too upset to get up. I pulled out the flash drive I'd created for my phone and stuck it into the jack of my phone. With earphones on, I watched all the videos I'd saved of her and I and of my childhood. Tears ran down my face as I watched both the videos of us laughing with one another on my birthday and the videos which dissolved into us yelling at each other or me complaining about her.

My gentle streams of tears turned into full on sobbing when I watched the recording of her funeral. Even after two years, her death was a major knife in my heart. She was the only one who'd stood by me my whole life, even though we clashed personality-wise and she was over reckless. Yet in the end, she didn't even know I cared about her. She died in a stupid car crash, losing control f her steering wheel since she was drunk and overturning into a ditch. I never could have seen it coming, but I wished I had. I'd learned from that to always live in the moment, so I didn't have to suffer regret and pain like this for someone else.

Minutes turned to hours, and I eventually just lay on my bed, scrolling through my phone and wishing I could just forget it all. I didn't have the energy to even go downstairs, especially since that would involve talking to people, something I wasn't emotionally stable enough to do.

Around one in the afternoon, a soft knock sounded on my door. My eyebrows furrowed, not having expected anyone to even notice I was gone.

"Nika?" I head Steve's voice say form behind the door, "Are you ok?"

I didn't bother to respond. I just wanted him to go away so I could be alone.

"May I come in?" He asked. I realized he planned to be persistent.

Trying to rub dried tears from my cheeks, I sat up on the bed and rasped, "Sure."

He gently opened the door and looked around, noting first probably the unmade bed and then my messy appearance. "Oh, were you sleeping?" He asked.

Seeing him awakened something in me and before I thought about what I was doing, I ran towards him and wrapped my arms around his torso, bursting into tears. It felt strange to do so, but I couldn't help but feel that I needed comfort from someone and I trusted him the most. I loved him, and knew out of all people, he'd just understand.

"What?" He asked, sounding surprised but rubbing circles on my back comfortingly. "What happened? Are you alright?"

"No." My voice was muffled by the fabric of his shirt, so I pulled back slowly and looked up at his eyes. "Two years ago my mother died and I…I just need to mourn." I buried my head back in his chest.

"I'm sorry, Nika." He said genuinely. "I know that doesn't bring her back but…I'm sorry."

For several minutes, he stayed silent and let me cry. When I finally calmed down a little, I pulled back and rubbed the tears from my cheeks. "Tell me about your family. I've always wanted to know." I requested, my voice unsteady.

"What do you want to know?" He asked.

"What were they like? How did they die? What was your childhood like? Anything. I just don't want to think about…my mom."

"Okay. Well I don't know where to start but…"

He started telling stories of his mother and father and then Bucky. He seemed to have the best memories of Bucky, and he smiled as he recalled them. I smiled too, glad to see him happy. Though there was still a hole in my chest, I slowly cheered up the more he talked. He made me feel whole in a different way.

An hour later, he was still talking while we sat on the edge of my bed with my head on his shoulder. He was in the middle of a tale about Bucky and something to do with a rabid rabbit when his phone started buzzing. He sighed. "You know," He told me, pulling it out to check the text. "Sometimes I think cell phones are wonderful inventions, but other times I just think they're a distraction. Back in the forties, you could converse with someone for hours without interruption."

I laughed slightly. "That certainly isn't the case for us. I feel like every conversation we have ends with someone texting or calling one of us…or Tony blowing something up. Yet, if we hadn't had phones, I never would've gotten the chance to fall in love with you."

"That's true." He said. "I guess then I should be grateful."

I pulled away from his shoulder, looking at his eyes. "I certainly am."

He gently gripped my cheek and pressed his lips against mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. We could've gone on forever like that, but his phone buzzed again and he pulled away apologetically.

I sighed, resting my head back on his shoulder. "Go ahead. Check it. It's probably important."

"Sorry." He said.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and opened the text from Maria.

" _We need to discuss plans for returning to New York City next week_."

"You're leaving for New York?" I asked, heart falling.

"We all are." Steve replied.

My eyebrows furrowed. "I'm going?"

"We need you with the team. Your research with Tony has been invaluable and you aren't safe if you aren't with us. Besides, I just want to be with you as much as possible."

He texted Maria back. " _Be down in five_."

"Will you be okay?" He asked me seriously.

I nodded. "I'll be fine."

He rose to leave, but paused at the door. "By the way," He said, slightly nervously, "I promised you a date a couple days ago didn't I?"

I couldn't help but crack a smile, despite my pain. "Yes. You did."

"Do you still want to go?"

"Of course! Where are we going? We should go dancing and get dinner or something."

His eyes flashed with a sudden sadness. "I don't know how to dance."

"Well I'll teach you. It's not that hard. I've learned all the basics at school dances."

He considered it for a little while, though I didn't understand why it was a hard decision. It wasn't like I was asking him to marry me. He smiled, seeming to have settled on a decision. "You've got it. I'll pick you up from here at seven?"

"Sounds like a deal."

I hugged him one last time and he went down to talk to Maria, who'd flown in on a quinjet over the night. I lay back down on my bed, still feeling upset but far less out of control. I had hours before I was going on a date with Steve, which would be the first one in a while, so I decided to go visit my mother's grave. I calmly got in Tony's yellow Porsche and drove off to the Iglosia Cemetery several miles out of LA. We weren't from the city, but my mother had wanted to be buried close to the 'city of fame' rather than inside our little hometown in upstate California.

Along the way, I stopped by a flower store and bought a pretty bouquet of roses, ignoring the flashes of paparazzi when they spotted Tony's car driving around. I didn't play any music during the drive, which mirrored my mood. Inside the cemetery, the eyes of the press couldn't follow me, so I was all alone. Finding my mother's grave among the stones, I set down the flowers and sat down in front of the tombstone. My finger traced the lettering: **Edith Georgina Marianna 1977-2013 Renowned Biologist and Beloved Mother.**

Wind blew my hair and I absently brushed it away, not losing eye contact with the stone. "You know mom," I said, knowing very well she could not hear me. "I miss you. As much as you ruined my childhood by being irresponsible, not paying the bills, sleeping around, and drinking til you passed out, I still loved you. For most of my life, you've been the only one I loved. When you left me, I realized how alone I was without you, and I knew I should've expressed my love more often when you were still around. Yet, you still taught me a valuable lesson. Now, the one person I love more than anything I know to tell so. I won't let him get away from me like you did. I love you, mom, and I wish you lived to see me happy of to be happy yourself."

I patted the top of the stone then rose from a crouch and walked away, feeling somehow freed. I believed that there was no afterlife, nothing beyond death but death, but it was nice to feel like I'd cleared the air somehow. Her death still stung, but not as bad as before. I spent the better part of an hour wandering around the graveyard, reading epitaphs and thinking. The wind soon picked up and pushing my long hair from my face became more and more difficult. I sighed in irritation after adjusting it for the thousandth time and happened to look up. The sky above was gray and angry, showing signs of a coming storm. When I'd come, the skies were blue and clear, so I was surprised by the change. A few drops fell on my shoulders and I abruptly stopped my visit, running towards my car.

I slammed the door shut just as the skies fully broke, unleashing sheets of water onto the top of my car. I slowly backed out of the parking lot, careful not to crash the car. I didn't want to wreck a million dollar custom car I didn't even own due to low visibility.

After a rough, slow drive, I finally arrived back in the house and parked the car. The trip had cost me a good thirty minutes, and now there was only an hour until Steve promised to take me out to dinner. I raced up to my room.

After the world's shortest shower, I blowdried my hair and put on dark makeup to fit the evening occasion. I tried to make it look mature dark rather than slutty dark, and I thought I was successful. I topped off the look with a matte red lipstick, feeling pretty good about how I looked.

Back when I'd gone shopping with Wanda, I'd only bought two dresses: a navy cocktail dress with one shoulder and a floor length black and navy gown with gold trim. I chose the shorter dress, wanting to be able to actually dance, and put a pair of gold stilettos on my feet.

By the time I was completely finished, Steve and I were meeting in ten minutes. We'd decided over text in the past hour to meet at a fancy restaurant in the city, so the other Avengers wouldn't see us going out together. He apologized profusely for making me have to drive, but I assured him it was no big deal.

I clomped down the stairs, struggling to get a grip in my slightly big shoes. I hoped that I wouldn't see anyone on my way, but near the bottom of the stairs, Tony spotted me from the couch in the living room. He rose an eyebrow at my appearance.

"Where are you going, all dressed up?" He asked.

"None of your business." I said, tossing my hair over my shoulder with fake drama.

"It wouldn't be wherever Steve went, dressed up as well?"

My confidence faded a little, but I kept up a façade of ignorance. "He went out too? What a coincidence."

"I can tell you're lying."

"Am I?"

We stared each other down for a minute, neither wanting to give in. I wasn't sure if he believed me or not, but I had a feeling he didn't. He was fairly perceptive, and had already guessed we were together, so this seemed like a pretty solid piece of evidence.

I didn't give him time to think and reply, just bolted calmly from the room and towards my favorite car. To my utmost relief, I didn't meet anyone else on the way. I drove to the restaurant with classical music playing at a low volume through the speakers. The sun was already setting in the sky, speckling the clouds and the space around them with oranges and pinks. It seemed to be setting the mood of the date in advance, and I loved it. Perhaps, I thought, today won't end as miserable as it started.

I parked next the car I recognized as Steve's and entered the restaurant, spotting Steve waiting at a table on the edge of the room. By far, the restaurant was the nicest I'd ever been in. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling and the walls were painted a regal crimson. Small candles lit the white cloth covered tables who held more utensils then I knew what to do with. In the center of the big restaurant, there was a large dance floor with a jazz band playing on a nearby stage. It was a perfectly romantic restaurant, the kind of gesture I totally should've expected from Steve. Nonetheless, I was touched that he picked such a nice place, and I smiled to myself.

I sat down at the table, after he stood up and pushed in my chair for me, and we ordered food. There were too many fancy words on the menu, and Steve and I being from poor backgrounds quickly got lost in the intricate French words. "What is Moules à la crème Normande?" I asked, feeling clueless.

Steve shrugged. "Beats me."

I laughed. "Guess we'll just have to guess."

We ordered random dishes and talked and talked. It seemed like we never ran out of things to talk about. It took us nearby an hour and a half to get through the whole meal, but the time had passed like the blink of an eye.

I eyed the dance floor, trying to drop subtle hints that I wanted to dance.

He rose from the chair, holding out his hand for me. "May I have this dance?" He asked me as a slow song began to play. "I'll try not to step on your toes."

I took his hand. "Absolutely. I'm sure you'll be a natural dancer."

He led me to the dance floor and we mirrored the positions of the other couples, with his hands at my waist and mine wrapped around his neck. I taught him a basic waltz, and he caught on quickly. Soon, we were dancing to the beat without even thinking about it. Although I could feel the eyes of the other patrons curiously watching the dancers on the floor and I hated being stared at, I felt safe in Steve's arms. While gazing into his eyes, I barely even thought about the other people.

The song ended and we pulled apart just long enough to clap before we started dancing again to the next song. It was a little bit faster, and with a little guidance from me, we were soon gliding along the floor. "See." I told him, unable to keep from smiling, "You're a natural."

"Not as good as you. Where did you learn to dance so well?"

"One too many school dances with one too many klutzes. I had to practically learn to lead myself or risk getting my toes crushed."

"Did you enjoy those dances?" He asked, after he twirled me around once.

I chuckled. "Babe, it was high school. We were all awkward and miserable."

"Babe?"

"Have you never heard that before?"

"Uh, no."

"I guess it is a pretty new term…it's just a term of endearment." I laughed at his confusion, but was quickly cut off when he dipped me. "Wow, I think you've graduated from beginner to much less of a beginner dancer." I said, totally surprised.

"Can't a man be multitalented?" He joked.

"Can't a woman be surprised?" I quipped back.

We continued dancing for a while, but I was tiring out. If I hadn't been girlishly happy, I probably would have dropped out much earlier. Yet the fog of love had clouded my mind, and I didn't care about myself anymore. I just cared about Steve and the way he made me feel. For not the first time, I knew he was the one.

"Alright." I said breathlessly when yet another song drew to a close. "I think I'm done for."

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't realize you were tired. I should've been paying attention."

His concern was adorable. "It's fine. I was rather enjoying myself."

"Do you need to sit down?"

"No, I just want to slow down a bit. Can we walk?"

"Sure, let's go outside."

I linked my arm with his and we walked out into the parking lot. Nearby, the beach and the ocean beckoned, so I kicked off my painful shoes and we walked on the beach. The water was cool against my feet and the wind rose goose bumps on my arms, but I was warm standing next to Steve. I rested my head against his shoulder as we walked in comfortable silence, lost in our own thoughts.

"It's beautiful out tonight." I commented, looking up at the starry, clear sky. The rainstorm in the afternoon had cleared up fast, leaving behind no traces of clouds. A part of me worried I'd caused the storm, but I pushed the thought away as irrational. Why would I have anything to do with the weather? It was crazy. Or was it? Over the past two days, so many miniature disasters had happened: electrical failures, store sprinklers, rain. Only a superstitious person would connect it to something, and I wasn't that. I just felt like I was forgetting something important that would connect everything to me. I pouted, trying desperately to remember but not being able to.

"What's wrong?" Steve asked, noting my expression.

"I don't know. I just feel like I'm forgetting something and that…something really bad is about to happen. "

Steve sighed. "Something bad is always about to happen. The world never does get a break, does it?"

"That's true. I just feel like this is worse, though. Something about our world…it's falling apart at the seams. That's a little bigger than just World War 2."

"Is it? The way I see it, the world is always falling apart at every conflict. Whenever we fight, our worlds change. We stop growing when we start destroying, and soon we're back to square one and everything has changed again."

"I guess you're right. I wish it didn't have to be that way."

"It'll never change. It was like that in 1940, same as 1440 and 2015. Man never changes."

"That's awfully depressing."

"I know. But it's reality."

I stopped our walk and faced him, cupping his slightly stubbly cheek in my hand. "And you know what else is reality? I love you. The world may constantly be at war, but it's fueled on love. With love, we have the strength to rebuild that rubble. Promise me that whatever happens, as it's bound to, that you'll stand by me. That we won't let the world tear us apart. I want to be yours forever, and if you don't feel the same way, I need you to tell me now."

His expression turned deeply serious. "Nika, I love you too. I wouldn't leave you for anything. We're going to face hard times, that just seems to be the pattern of my life, but I want to face it all with you."

We'd leaned closer while he spoke, and our lips finally connected, saying the things we could never say in words. A laugh suddenly bubbled in my chest, and I pulled away, giggling wildly.

"What?" He asked.

"We're either crazy or the stupidest people ever, falling like this. But I don't care. I guess that does mean I'm crazy."

"Then I'm crazy too. We're crazy together."

"And you know what crazy people do?" I asked, feeling so happy I could burst. I needed to get out the energy being happy gave me. "They run. Race you back to the car!"

I took off running down the beach, knowing full well that he could beat me if he wanted to. Yet, being the gentleman he was, he ran by my side instead of bolting ahead. By the end of the run, I was breathless and he was fine, but I felt energized. I kissed him one final time, my lips lingering on his since I didn't want the night to end. For once, he didn't resist or protest someone might see us. Maybe we could've stayed there forever in our bubble of love, but Steve's phone suddenly buzzed. I pulled away, shaking my head with a small smile. "That seriously happens every time."

He smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I should probably get going anyway. Goodnight!"

"Goodnight. I love you."

"I love you too."

Picking up my heels from where I'd left them, I left to go to my car. The further I drove from Steve, the stronger the fear that something bad was going to happen became. The future was hazy, with only Steve as the light through the fog. Even so, I realized suddenly that he was no longer the only one I loved. The longer I lived among the team, the more I came to care about them. I'd never expected to say it, but I loved them. In my life, I'd loved so few. Just my mother, my dog, and a couple lousy ex-boyfriends. I'd feared the word, knowing it meant attachment, something that only led to hurt. Now, my perspective had changed. If I really wanted to live for the moment, the only way I could do it was by loving. I loved the whole team, including even my father. They were becoming my strength, and I was glad they were all together. I didn't know what I'd do if we ever split up or lost someone. I wouldn't think about that, I decided, since I had to live for now. I also decided I wouldn't think about my bad feeling, waiting to bother with it when I actually happened. I was content and I hoped to remain that way as long as possible.


	14. Chapter 14: New York is Freezing

**A/N: Hey guys! Long time no post. The reason for that is that I decided to just write the whole thing out and post it, which it what I finally finished yesterday. There's 28 chapters overall in the story, so I hope to have the rest up as quickly as I can edit them. Hope you enjoy the story + review and follow :)! Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel cuz I'm not Disney**

Over the next few days, I was surprised to find that nothing bad happened. Life went slow, but not in a bad way. Tony was out periodically to fix the shields on other bases, causing most of the terrorist attacks to be deflected. Steve, Wanda, and all the others went on various missions searching for the terrorists. We seemed to be getting closer to wiping them out thank God. Nonetheless, little things kept reminding me of my capture and subsequent loss of memory. I felt like a curse, somehow messing up everything I touched. The restaurant where Steve and I had eaten had caught fire hours after we left, my favorite car began to struggle to start (at least that was easy for me to fix), and even insignificant things like toaster became my enemy. I was like a hurricane, managing to mess up everything. I hoped my stint of bad luck, which I didn't even believe in, would end soon.

In the early days of December, the team flew back to New York with the threat in Cali had been eliminated. I went too and settled in my own room in Avenger/Stark Tower. New York was freezing, and I hated having to bundle up from the cold so much. Snow had already started accumulating on the sides of the road, the cold and wet substance I'd always hated as a child. I wanted back my LA sun and perpetual heat, but the team was more important to me than my comfort.

I found solace from the cold outside in the labs and workshops of the Tower, working on random projects. At first, other scientists treated me like a pest, but eventually they came to respect me and work with me. Some days, Tony would help too. Those were the funniest days; he and I could solve almost anything and we did it while constantly applying sarcasm like frienemies. Without meaning to, we could practically stumble upon the meaning of the universe.

Wanda returned from her mission and I decided I wanted to go shopping with her for a thicker coat, as my last one from LA couldn't protect against Northern weather. I went down the elevator and towards her room, which was a floor below mine and right next to Pietro's. In the blink of an eye, a blue blur suddenly swooped me up and pulled me down the hall away from Wanda's room.

He set me down and I swayed, recovering from the shock. "What the hell- "

Pietro, the blur, put a hand on my mouth. "Shh! They might could hear us." He whispered.

"Who could? What's going on?" I hissed.

He leaned closer to my face and pointed down the hall. "Wanda and Vision are talking." He told me.

"Oh dear! What a tragedy!" I mockingly placed a hand over my heart like it actually was terrible.

"You do not understand. I believe he likes her."

I hadn't really seen Vision much besides once or twice, he'd been on a long mission until recently, but I didn't think it was possible for an android to develop feelings. "That's not possible. 'Liking' is not in his programming. When you have a robot-"

He covered my mouth with his hand. "This one does like. I can tell. I need you to spy for me."

" _Why_?"

His eyes shifted away. "I…uh want to make sure she's ok."

"Aw big brother's just being over protective isn't he?" I couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, I suppose I can help. What do you want me to do?"

"Join the conversation. I hear you are perceptive; I need know if I am imagining or not."

"Alright. What's in it for me?"

His eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"If I do this for you, what will you do in the future?"

"I do not know."

"How about we keep it loose and say you just owe me a favor?"

He paused, thinking it over. "Deal." He finally said. I held out my hand and he shook it.

I tried to step away, but he suddenly grabbed my shoulder, staring at me. "Your eyes are purple." He observed.

"Yep." I replied. "Thanks Sherlock for that deep observation."

"Is it normal in America?"

My humor faded slightly. "Nope. Just me. It's the aftereffect of…something. I don't really understand it. Now can you let me go? I've got to go spy on your sister for you before she and her admirer sneak off and have sex or something."

He glared at me for that comment and stepped back. "You owe me." I told him as I brushed past him and into the hallway. I found Wanda and Vision in front of her room, talking.

"Hey!" I greeted cheerfully, hiding my real intentions.

"Hello." Vision said politely. Wanda waved.

"So what are you talking about?"

"The aftereffects of the first Sokovian civil war upon Europe as a whole…" Vision began to explain. I listened intently as they continued the discussion, Wanda interjecting and adding comments Vision would agree with. As impossible as it seemed, Vision did seem to like her. He didn't flirt in the natural way, not being a natural being himself, but by the tender way he spoke and the expression on his android features, I could tell he liked her more than a friend. It was really fascinating, and I put it on my list of things to study in the future.

Eventually, when I was getting pretty bored of standing on the outside of their conversation, Vision had to go and left Wanda and I behind. I let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness he's gone. I was getting so bored of listening to him."

"I wasn't. I find him very interesting." Wanda told me. My eyes widened realizing the feelings were mutual.

"Do you now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing." I changed the subject, planning to come back to it some other time. "Do you want to come shopping with me?"

"What for?"

"A new jacket. New York is freezing."

"Compared to Sokovia, this is warm."

I laughed. "I know. I visited once, remember? It was too cold."

"I don't know if you told me that story."

"Maybe another day." The story of my time in Sokovia always depressed me, and I wanted to stay in a good mood. "But will you come shopping?"

She cocked her head, obviously thinking. "That would be a significant change from what I've done the past few days, but maybe that would be a good thing."

"Great then let's go."

"Right now?"

"Yep."

"Let me grab my jacket, then, and we can go."

"Meet you in the garage."

She went into her room to grab a jacket and I headed down the hall to go to the garage. Around the corner, Pietro was casually leaning against a wall, waiting for me. "So?" He asked.

"He likes her. I'm totally baffled."

"I knew it."

"Congrats!" I told him sarcastically. " Remember, though, that you owe me now."

He sighed. "I feel like I should be concerned by that."

"You should." I smirked. The door to Wanda's room opened and closed, so I quickly changed the subject as she came up. "You want to come shopping with us?"

He grimaced. "No, thank you."

"Your decision." I shrugged. "Let's go Wanda."

We drove to Arinimia Mall ** and wandered around. I bought the thickest jacket I could possibly find, still doubting it'd keep me warm enough. Outside, snow had begun to pour in sheets, giving the whole place a Christmasy feel. We decided to stop for coffee under a glass domed cafeteria. In the background, the mall quietly played Christmas music and children flocked to the mall Santa's lap across the room.

I was in a pretty good mood, joking around with Wanda and talking about our shared interests. Suddenly, my hands seemed to start to shake slightly. I stared at them, confused, but my attention was quickly diverted when a shattering sound started from the ceiling. I saw the tail end of a purple flash before the whole thing shattered and glass came flying towards the floor. People screamed around me, but I was in a daze. Somehow, in that moment, everything came back to me. I remembered what my 'power' from the substance was: chaos. Without me knowing, all the catastrophes were thanks to me. The purple flash this time proved it; the purple matched my eyes.

"Nika? Nika!" Wanda was calling my name and shaking my shoulders. I'd barely noticed when she pulled me under the table as glass fell.

"What?" I asked, coming back into focus with my surroundings. All around, people were screaming and crying and freaking out. Many people had taken refuge under the tables like us, but others had just crouched and been cut by the fallen glass. The worst victims seemed to be children who'd been in line to visit Santa. Guilt twisted my stomach; this was my fault. My fault that people, children even, were in pain and terrified. "This was me." I told Wanda, voice thick."I caused this."

She tilted her head, confused. "What? How?" She asked. Now that the glass had landed, we both slowly rose from under the table.

"Remember when I got kidnapped and that thing entered my head? I couldn't remember what happened until just now. He told me he'd give me the power to cause chaos, which seems to mean that bad things happen wherever I go." Now that the revelation had come and set in, I began to be less surprised and more worried. My power was chaos, that was clear now, but what wasn't clear was how was I going to fix this? Would I just be cursed forever? Hurting everyone, including those I loved? The thought was too horrible to continue to think about.

" Are you sure?" She asked.

I nodded sullenly. "Yes."

"We can worry about that later, now we've got other things to worry about." She was right; I needed to help the injured people before I started trying to fix myself.

Together, we went about the room, trying to help everyone we could. It hurt me to see how many people were bloodied and scared by the event, something I'd caused. It felt almost reminiscent of the guilt I'd felt after I'd killed that man in Sokovia, which I didn't want to relive. After that trip, his death and a fallout with my boyfriend at the time led to me being in the darkest place I'd ever been in during my life. I didn't want that to happen again.

When we'd done all we could to help others, Wanda and I drove home. She gently prodded into what I planned to do about my power, but I more or less shot her down. I wasn't in the mood to talk or to think; I just wanted to drink and forget it all as soon as possible. We pulled into the parking lot and Wanda left, throwing a concerned look over her shoulder before she left to talk to Pietro.

Now that I was home, I had time to dwell on my new memories. I absently poured myself a drink, wanting to take the edge off the horror of the revelation. I couldn't help but feel like I was the plague, and guilt for my unplanned actions plagued me. I frowned, taking another shot and hoping I could soon forget it all.

My drinking wouldn't bring me to a solution, and it didn't soothe me like it normally did. I was a sad drunk, lying on the couch and lamenting my predicament with bottle in hand. Tears leaked from my eyes, and I took another swig, wallowing in self pity.

Eventually, I somehow managed to drag myself downstairs and into my bed. I fell asleep crying and woke up mid morning with a pounding headache. I groaned, dragging myself from bed and into the shower despite how horrible I felt. Somehow, the heat of the shower had lessened the effects of my hangover and I felt well enough to go upstairs and get some coffee and breakfast.

It was too late for anyone else to be getting breakfast, so I took my coffee to the living room where the others were in a meeting. I sat down by Steve and listened to them talking about how to handle the recent targeting of a bunch of scientists in Mexico by our favorite terrorist band. I occasionally spoke up, but my mind was in other places. Now that I was done pitying myself, I was ready to face my problem head on. I was good at fixing problems, so I doubted this one would be hard, despite how it may seem impossible to other people. Sure, I had freaky alien powers that would 'tear the Avengers apart', but I was smart and I could find a cure. Nothing was incurable.

In my mind, I brainstormed ways to fix it. Since I barely understood how it worked, I doubted I could come up with anything yet. First, I needed to do tests on myself and work out what about me had changed. Then, I needed to test several different things and finally figure out what worked to cure myself. It sounded easy enough, but my experiments always took longer than I expected. And, I thought to myself, I don't really have a lot of time; the more time I wait, the more likely I cause another disaster. I needed help on the project to speed it along, but from whom?

The meeting drew to a close, and around me, the other Avengers left. I was too deep in thought to pay attention.

"Are you alright?" Steve asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.

I jumped, not having noticed him move. "Oh! Yes, I guess. It's just that…I remembered everything."

"Everything about what?"

I explained my memories of my kidnapping, watching his expression darken the further I got. "And so," I concluded. "I have to figure out how to fix this, but I'm worried I'll take too long. I…don't want to leave." I looked down at my hands. "But it may be for the best."

"No." Steve said firmly, "You have to stay here. Not only because we need you here, but also because it will keep the…chaos…contained. You'll figure this out fast, I know you will."

"Thanks."I said halfheartedly.

He patted my shoulder comfortingly. "Can I help you at all?"

I froze, an idea snapping into my head. "Yes! I mean, no, but your suggestion helps." I jumped up from the couch, my eyes glittering with excitement, "I can get Tony to help me!"  
I ran from the room, not even bothering to say goodbye. I was too focused on finding Tony, happy to have a strong thread of hope again.

"Tony!" I yelled, catching him just before he entered an elevator.

He stopped the doors for me, looking at me like he thought I was crazy. Maybe I was. "What?" He asked.

"I need your help."

"I don't know if I'm feeling particularly helpful right now."

"This is serious!"

"I'm rarely serious, but I'll try." He crossed his arms. "What do you need?"

I blurted out an explanation of my curse and my theories and all the information no one else would understand. I doubted Tony would do it simply for me, but I had gotten him curious, so he agreed to help me. After he cleared his schedule, not like he planned to follow it anyway, he joined me in one of the labs and we got down to work.

I tested my blood, and we looked at the DNA to find that my change was far deeper than I'd thought. Before, I'd suspected it was simply in my blood stream, but the tests shows my entire genetic makeup was altered. I had a new gene, one that only expressed itself in my mind and in my eyes. That wasn't something we could easily fix like I'd hoped, but Tony and I kept working and trying to create a cure. We spent the whole day, not without him getting distracted occasionally, trying to work something out with no results. I wasn't discouraged though. We were two geniuses; there was no way in hell we wouldn't figure this out eventually.

Tony and I decided to wrap up and go upstairs for a drink when we both simultaneously got a text. The ID for both of us read 'Wanda' and we opened it to read, " _Come upstairs and watch the news. It's important_."

Tony and I looked at each other, worried mirrored in our eyes. "That doesn't sound good." I commented nervously.

"It never is." Tony replied.

We went upstairs and found the rest of the team staring intently at the screen. On it, a seemingly harmless reporter was talking about some man who'd been spotted and was accused of being a famous assassin in complicity with HYDRA. The cops were after him, believing they'd found his hiding spot.

A mugshot was displayed on the screen, making my eyes widen in shock. I wasn't an idiot; I'd heard the other Avengers, especially Steve, talk about this man. He was the Winter Soldier, Bucky Barnes.

After the mugshot, the camera panned to the cops surrounding a building where he was said to be hiding. They planned to shoot him and kill him, showing no mercy.

"Shit." I cursed under my breath. The others stared at me, since I'd broken the silence. I hated their stares but I had bigger things to worry about . "What do we do?" I asked, glancing at Steve. He looked worried, probably because his old best friend and new old enemy was about to die. I doubted he'd let that happen.

"I have to go stop this nad get him out!" Steve said, angrily hopping to his feet. I could see a flash of fear for his friend's life in his eyes, but he quickly hid it behind a steely gaze.

"Now hang on a second, Capsicle, he committed a lot of crimes. IT's only fitting the law deals with him like this." Tony said.

"He deserves the chance at a trial, and they won't even give him that."

"He's too dangerous; we've seen what he can do." Nat said, leaning back in her chair.

"But he also dragged me from the water to save my life in DC. Plus, he went AWOL, so he's obviously changed back now. He deserves at least a trial."

"And if he has that trial," Nat reasoned, "who do you think will win? He's got a long list of killing under his belt, and the law won't let that slide just because he was your friend."

"Then I'll help him. It wasn't his fault that he was under the control of HYDRA, so he can't be held responsible for his crimes."

"You can try to argue that in a court of law, but I doubt it'll get you anywhere."Tony remarked drily.

I could tell Steve was getting more and more annoyed."Fine. Then I'll take him up and talk to him without the interference of the law."

"I agree." Sam said, piping up for the first time. "This guy has been under mind control; we have to take care of him. The law doesn't have a way to handle cases like this."

"What are we then? A bunch of vigilantes who are above the law?" Rhodes asked, glancing between Steve and Tony. They stood across from each other, bristling with hostility. I didn't like the look of that; the Avengers were supposed to get along.

"We are here to protect the people, and that's what I plan on doing." Steve defended.

"Don't let me hold you back then Mr. Morals." Tony scoffed. "Or the law."

"I have to do this." Steve nodded at Sam and left, obviously going to help Bucky, despite the protestations of the others.  
The two of them didn't return all night, which would've worried me if Steve hadn't texted me he was taking Bucky into hiding. The police were on their tails and they weren't happy to have lost their charge. Even the press was in on it, half siding with Steve and Sam while the others sided with the law. None of them really knew the full story, but they portrayed Bucky as a crazy soldier Steve was trying to protect.

Tension clouded the air among the other Avengers, especially Tony. He talked of going and hauling Steve back and handing Bucky over. I feared what would happen if that confrontation since I honestly didn't know which one would win. Besides, I didn't want my boyfriend and my father to fight over something so stupid, especially when the repercussions of a fight could be so huge.

Meanwhile, I grew more and more anxious about getting rid of my powers. I was paranoid something worse would happen and I would ruin everything. The Erthymen wanted me to destroy the Avengers, and by being around them, that could easily happen. If I didn't fix it soon, I knew I needed to leave.

Deciding to do something, I searched for Tony so he could help me. Without him, my work would take far too long.

"Tony!" I exclaimed, finding him in his lab with the pieces of one of the Iron Man suits arrayed in front of him.

He turned to me, jaw hard set. "What?"

"Can you come work with me later? I need to fix my power fast, before something gets even worse and –"

"No." He cut me off. "I have to deal with some other things now, before Captain Self Righteous messes other things up. Catch you later."

"Wait" I called after him, scared he'd actually leave.  
"What?" He sounded exasperated but I could see guilt in his eyes. He wanted to help me.

"What will I do then?" Panic was beginning to edge its way into my consciousness. "I need your help to fix this or else it'll be too late."

"It's not even really my specialty- genetics was always something Bruce was better at. I'm sure you can figure it out by yourself, though."

"No I can't!"

It was too late; he'd already plugged in some earbuds and walked away, ignoring me. I knew he knew he was literally crushing my hope, but it seemed he just didn't care.

I couldn't help the tears that ran down my face, and I ran to the kitchen with my heart beating wildly. How could I fix this? I was going to unintentionally blow up the whole world if this kept up any longer. The only option I could see was to leave and never come back. I couldn't stay and endanger everyone, but I didn't want to leave the first place I'd ever felt totally welcome.

I poured myself a drink and clutched on to it as a returned to my room to think and pace. In the end, I only felt more scared and trapped, so I finished my drink and pulled on a jacket to go out. Though the snow from a couple days still lingered on the New York City streets, I trudged through the slush undeterred. I walked to a park and wandered around, trying to calm myself down. The cold only grated on my raw nerves, and I gave up, collapsing on a bench and sobbing with my head in my hands. I was a mess.

"Nika?" A familiar voice said. Wanda stood above me, her hands tucked in the pockets of her red jacket.

"Hey Wanda." I said, my voice wobbly from crying.

"What's wrong?" She asked. In response, I started sobbing again. Just thinking about it hurt me.

"I…" I sniffled, wiping tears from my cheeks. She pulled a tissue from her pocket and handed it to me. "Thanks. Anyways, I just…I'm a monster."  
"Why?"

"You know why. These stupid powers are going to ruin my life it I'm not careful. You saw what happened to the people at the mall."

"All powers can be used for evil, perhaps you simply haven't figured out how to make these good."

"No! It doesn't work like that! The Erthymen controls the powers, so I can't do anything. I need to get rid of them for this to work. And I can't do that without Tony or even Bruce Banner." I whined, fresh tears falling.

"You know what I think?" She asked calmly, unfazed by my outburst.

"W-what?" I asked, rubbing fresh tears from my face.

"I think you need to pull yourself together."

"What?"

She sat down next to me, pulling her hands from her pockets. "You are a genius! You could figure something out. You will not gain Tony's interest, that I can tell, but perhaps you can find Dr. Banner if that's what you need."

"How?"

"Invent something to find him. Not only will it divert your mind from this self pity, but it will also make it possible for you to ask for his help."

I was too shocked to keep crying. That was a fucking great idea! How the hell hadn't I thought of it?. "You know what…you're right." I told her. I paused for a second, mulling it over. It didn't take long for me to have an idea for how I could make communication with Bruce possible. "I can fix this, and I've got an idea."

She smiled, looking pleased."Good. I knew you could do this. You are strong."

"You said I should try to find Bruce and you're right. I can build something to track him, I can already see how I'll get that to work, and then I'll go get him to help me fix my power. Then, not only will I be fixing things, but I'll also be away from everyone and stop causing so many problems." I rambled, speaking more to myself. A plan for a device to find Bruce was slowly forming in my head.

"See." Wanda told me, putting a hand on my shoulder. "I knew you could fix it."

I bit my lip, thinking. "Yeah…everyone has their own DNA…what if I fixed up the pattern into a signal….hack into satellites…could find anyone…" In my head, my thoughts were coherent and made sense, but aloud it was a bit convoluted. The tears had dried on my face with no replacements; I was almost happy now. On the bench, Wanda pulled out her phone, her jacket rustling at the movement. My mind was whirling, and it fit her into the equation. "I'll need help." I told her, "So can you come?"

She looked up from her phone, seeming surprised. "You want me to leave the other Avengers?"

"Yes…" I winced at how final that sounded. "You're my best friend and I need you."

She hesitated, biting a nail in thought. "What do you need me to do?" She asked.

"I don't know. But I can't do this alone. There's enough of the others here anyways, they won't miss you for a little while."

"But I can't see the conflict between Steve and Stark going well."

"The others can hopefully handle it. And I trust Steve to not let it get out of proportion."

She sighed, giving me a small smile. "Okay. It will help me continue training how to live without Pietro around. Our dependence on each other can only cause problems."

"Thank God you'll come!" I cried, embracing her tightly. She laughed, but there was an undertone of sadness to it. It was true she'd been trying to distance herself from Pietro, much to his annoyance, so he wouldn't be hurt if something happened to her. But I knew she didn't enjoy the separation.

Together, we returned to the Tower and went to the labs. Shutting my mind from the world, I began to work on my project. It felt wonderful to have hope, and I knew everything wouldn't go according to plan. Nothing in my life ever was happy for long.

 _** This place doesn't exist. I made it up for the purposes of the story_


	15. Chapter 15: Your Confidence Betrays You

A/N: I love writing Nika she's so melodramatic xD. Sorry in advance for any grammar mistakes- I was a little distracted wen editing. Also sorry this took so long but there was a big chunk of the chapter I had to rewrite. Hope you enjoy. Disclaimer: I don't own Avengers rip

The chase for Steve continued over the next few days, and I tried not to stress out about it. Tension polluted the air whenever I entered the communal spaces and too often Tony was there, so I devoted myself instead to working. I had grown bitterly angry at Tony. All my life, he hadn't been there, but I'd forgiven him and assumed he planned to be there now. Yet, in my hour of greatest need, when I needed him the most, he abandoned me. Now, in the rare times he tried to talk to me, I flipped him off and left.

Thanks to him, I was facing the prospect of a far journey away from everyone I knew and loved. My technology had begun to work after days of tinkering, and I could now detect DNA signatures from anywhere in the world. It hadn't been easy, and I'd spent forever testing and working out kinks in the system, but now that I'd made the technology, I was proud of myself. Also, I felt buoyed up by the thought that if I could make this, I could make a cure with Bruce's help. Wanda also lifted my spirits, telling me she believed I could figure it out.

Monday morning, I snuck into Bruce's room and stole one of his shirts, extracting a piece of hair and getting his DNA from that. It was probably the most stalkerish thing I'd ever done, but it was effective. I plugged the information into my technology, hacked into a satellite, and waited hours for a result to come. In the meantime, I went upstairs to grab food. Nat and Clint were there, whispering to each other and seeming to be, surprisingly, fighting.

Usually, I was curious as hell about everything, but just this once, I didn't want to know. The two of them were on different sides of the issue, and I wasn't in the mood to fight over it anymore. I grabbed a couple slices of pizza and slunk back down to my lab.

My satellite technology finally picked up a match for Bruce Banner on a deserted island in the Galapagos Islands. I don't know why, but it suddenly hit me hard the gravity of what I was about to do with this information. I was about to leave the country and my friends to find a potentially hostile and crazy scientist who would help me fix a curse on myself before I ruined the world with bad luck. If it didn't work, however, I could be there permanently, for my friends' safety. My heart ached at the thought, especially when Steve came to mind. I couldn't bear to be separated from him forever, but that was what I was facing. I leaned heavily against the lab table, trying to hold myself together.

Never would there been a better minute for Wanda to call, and she did. Shaking, I accepted the call. "Hello?" I said. "What d-do you need?"

"I was worried for you. You texted that your results would come in soon, and I wanted to check that it all worked out…are you alright? Your voice is shaky?"

"I'm…no. I'm so scared, Wanda."

"Why? Couldn't you find him?"

"Yes, I found him, but what to do with that information scares me. I'm so scared; I'm going to leave everything I know, which normally would sound fun but doesn't since I'm leaving everything I love, and I may never return. I'll be so alone." My voice shook even more as I talked, and I sunk down to the floor.

There was silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds. "I'll come with you, then, if it helps?"

My shaking stopped abruptly. "You'd do that?" I asked incredulously, "Don't you realize I might never return?"  
"Yes."

"What about your brother? What about working as an Avenger?"

"You know I'm trying to distance myself from Pietro. Also, part of my job as an Avenger is keeping the world from danger, and that's currently what you are. It's my duty to help you."

"Do you understand what you're getting yourself into?"

"Perfectly."

"I'm not sure you do, but I think I'd really like your support."

"When are we leaving?"

"I don't know; first I have to hijack one of Tony's jets."

I could almost hear her disproval over the phone. "Why can't you ask him first and borrow it?"

"Because I don't want him to know about this mission and I want to spite him."

She sighed. "Maybe I don't know what I'm getting myself into."

"Told you."

"I'll be there tomorrow morning in the park where we met. We can work out flight arrangements then."

"Alright. See you then."

We hung up the phone and I realized how much calmer I'd become. I closed down all my work, putting locks on it to keep out snoops or snooping Tonys, though I doubted he'd care enough to look. Back in my room, I started packing a duffel bag full of clothes and necessities. Not much could fit in the small space, but I jammed in whatever I could. I thought I might want food, so I snuck up to the kitchen to grab snacks.

"What are you up to?"Natasha asked, catching me gathering granola bars and cans of food in a bag. I froze.

"What do you mean?"

"You look suspicious."

Flipping my hair, I feigned confidence. "I don't know what you're talking about." I told her firmly.

She rolled her eyes. "Your confidence betrays you."

"Betrays that I'm not planning anything wrong?"

"Never said you were planning something wrong, but now I know you are."

"Shit." I muttered, before realizing I should've denied it. "I'm usually better at this, I promise." I told her, trying to change the subject and also protect my rep.

"Of course you are." She assured me jokingly. "Well, whatever you're up to, just don't get killed and don't get caught."

"Thanks."

"Anytime."

I gathered my food and left, surprised I'd gotten out so easily. Gathering the rest of everything in the day and setting it by the door, I paced my room, trying to figure out what else I needed to do. I pulled out my phone, immediately texting Steve and asking if he was home. I had to see him one more time before I potentially left forever- a thought that left a lump in my throat.

He texted back twenty minutes later, saying he had just gotten back. I told him I was coming, and I grabbed my keys and hopped into the car. He was hiding in the outskirts of the city in a tiny apartment. Locking my car first, I went inside and up to his floor. He opened the door seconds after I knocked, looking battleworn but happy enough to see me.

"Nika!" He said, holding tightly to me when I ran into his arms. "What's wrong? What's so urgent?" I couldn't help the tears that streamed down my face, and he tensed with alarm. "What happened?"

"I love you." I told him, choking back sobs. "I really love you."

"I love you too, but what's brought this on?"

I looked away, no longer meeting his eyes. "I have to leave."

He pulled away. "What?"

"I have to go, to keep you safe. Remember when I told you about my memories? And my curse?"

"Of course, but I wouldn't exactly call it a curse."

"But it is! It's caused so many problems! The little things I already felt guilty enough about, but now bigger things are happening; I'm practically causing a war."  
"What are you talking about?"

"Remember the explosion at the mall?"

"Yes." His expression darkened at the memory.

"Well, that was my fault, as I told you, and I don't know how much has happens next could be so much worse!"

"Where are you going? What's going to chance anything?"

"Well, since my asshole father ditched me in my effort to fix everything, I had to seek someone else. I…er…" For some reason, I didn't think it was a good idea to tell Steve I'd found Bruce. He'd disappeared for a reason, and I doubted he wanted anyone to find out. I respected that. "Found a scientist who could help me and they live far away. Hopefully, they can work with me to fix this, but if not…" My throat clenched, and I almost couldn't get the next words out, "I can't ever come back."

His fists clenched, his expression going from surprised to sad to determined. "I can't let you do that." He said, grabbing my hand.

I shook my head. "It's what's best for everyone, and we both know it. "

"It's not your job to sacrifice everything you know for us."

"Is it really? I think that's everyone's job. I'm sorry, Steve, but there's no other way. I hope I return to you, but…I have no promises."

His face hardened when he realized I was right, then, his lips crashed against mine.

I leaned into him, kissing him desperately, knowing this could be the final time. On impulse, as our kiss lasted and got deeper, I reached for the buttons on his shirt, fumbling to undo them. He pulled away, breathlessly leaning his forehead against mine. "No." He said, knowing what I wanted. "I've told you; I want to wait until marriage, even though I knew that's old fashioned of me."

"But Steve, I may never see you again. I don't want to wait, because if we do, then time will run out on us. We aren't normal people, with normal expected lifespans. You or I could die tomorrow, and I don't want to regret never having loved you right."

"I can't forget my morals."

"Please don't, it's one of your greatest qualities. You don't have to forget just…suspend them. For me."

"If we go through with this, then promise me you'll be my girl, forever."

"Are you asking me to marry you?"

He paused. "Yes."

"Then, of course yes!" The proposal was totally out of the blue, but I didn't even have to think about it. I'd never imagined myself settling down with anyone, but with Steve, it seemed so right. I could imagine our future together, if we lived, with a nice house, maybe a couple kids, and more importantly each other. Steve recaptured my lips with his, and suddenly all thoughts flew from my mind.

I woke up that morning by Steve's side, and I slipped away before he woke, knowing that to say goodbye now would hurt like crazy. I stopped back at the Tower for my bag, and went straight to the park. I didn't want to have to explain why I was leaving to the others, and I probably would've been a wreck after I said goodbye. It was better for all of us that I just disappeared, though it left a huge hole in my heart. I doubted anyone would care anyway.

In the park, Wanda was waiting for me with her bag in hand. Once she spotted me, she put away her phone and waved. I realized as I got closer that she was holding two white slips of paper in her hands: plane tickets. "You got plane tickets?" I asked her when we were close enough to talk.

"Yeah, I thought it would be a much simpler solution than stealing a plane. Also far more legal and inconspicuous."

"But not quite as fun."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't think this is meant to be fun."

We drove to the airport in Tony's car, since I didn't feel guilty about the parking payments that would add up when he was the one having to pay them. We hustled through security and onto the fight of three flights that would take me from New York City to Florida to San Jose to Baltra Airport in the Galapagos Islands. I had a feeling it would be a long day.

14 hours and an incredible amount of boredom later, Wanda and I landed in Baltra Airport. Early in the journey, I'd texted the team the news of the departure, and Pietro texted me francically for hours, saying he didn't want us to go and asking why. Clint asked why too, but he didn't pry as hard. He just said the team would miss me, including him. Tony didn't reply, for which I almost wanted to delete him from my contacts. It hurt me more than I wanted to let on. Steve's texts were the only one I cried over, since the thought that I was leaving him tore me into pieces. Though we were technically engaged, he'd given me no ring, so I just wore my mother's old ring on my ring finger to represent my engagement. It wasn't much, just a gold band and a couple of diamonds, but now it had meaning to me, so it was priceless. It represented that, now, I would forever be Steve's.

Eventually, I reached the end of my service zone and I could no longer text the others. For those hours, I talked to my potato, and read a fascinating book I'd found about the history of winemaking. It was a very random book, but I'd gone into a book store at the Florida airport and chosen it with my eyes closed, so it's what I ended up with. Wanda read her own book, a historical novel about the fall of the Roman Empire. Although I found her choice odd, mine really wasn't that much better.

Once we arrived in Baltra Airport, Wanda and I headed to the pier to find a boat to borrow.

"Are we ever going to find anything?" I complained when one too many people had turned us away. It seemed that no one around just had extra boats lying around.

"We'll find something." Wanda said confidently.

"Why don't we just steal something?" I suggested.

I received only an eye roll from Wanda in response. "Stealing things is never a good idea."

Nearby, I noticed a small dingy left unattended. "Look!" I said, shoving Wanda' shoulder and pointing.

"Nika, we can't steal things."

"Come on!" I said, grabbing her hand and tugging her towards it. "This is the easiest way to do this."

She didn't struggle, but I could sense waves of disapproval rolling off her. "This isn't a good idea." She muttered.

I pushed off the dock, finding oars in the bottom of the boat. "Start rowing." I said to Wanda, dipping my own oar in the water. She complied, and we rode out onto the open ocean, keeping near the shore at first and then boating to the empty island I knew Bruce was on. On the dock, I heard a small commotion, but no one cared enough to come after us.

We finally washed up on the island an hour later. I stumbled onto the sand, arms numb from rowing. Thanks to the time zones, the sun was only just setting but it would've been super late in the night. I collapsed on the sand, resting for a minute. Wanda sunk down beside me, groaning. Her skin was slightly burnt, but luckily my tan skin had spared me from the sun.

Strange insects chirped behind me, and it occurred to me suddenly that I was in a foreign country with no idea what to do next. I started laughing, finding my own idiocy amusing.

"What?" Wanda asked, sipping water from inside her duffel bag. It was hot from being under the sun, but it was water.

"I just realized I don't know where we're going next. I didn't realize the island would be so big."

Wanda hand clenched against the plastic bottle. "You don't know where we're going? Didn't you look for a specific spot on your map?"

"Nope. I didn't think of that. Besides, my tech was pretty…basic. I could only track vague locations."

Wanda sighed, shaking her head. She put her bottle back in her pack and stood. "I'm not sure, but I bet he's staying on the one white building near the center of the island. We should start heading that way before it gets dark."

"Wait, what building? I don't see anything."

"It's hidden behind the trees. I looked up the island on Google Earth on the plane and I saw the building."

I stared at her, dumbfounded. "You searched this before?"

She shrugged. "I do not like surprises. Come on! Let's go."

We wandered through the foliage for maybe twenty minutes, both too busy trying not to step on poisonous plants or get attacked by the numerous bugs to talk. We broke free of the tree line on the edge of a small property. The sun was setting as I confidently strode up to the gate and hollered to whoever was inside.

I hollered for ten minutes to no avail. Whoever was inside was ignoring us, and if it was Bruce then I knew why; he didn't want to be found. I switched to a different tactic. "Let us in! Or we'll die out here in the forest. Please, we need help."

Hesitantly, the front door opened and a man with curly black hair looked out. I recognized him from pictures as Bruce Banner. He stared at us, considering something, and then I heard the lock on the gate open. "Come in." He said in a sullen tone.

He went back inside, expecting us to follow. I high fived Wanda, proud of my success, and hurried in. The lights in the house and lab space were dim and the air smelt of lavender, giving a space a relaxing feel. It didn't help wake up my already tired body, and I pinched my arms to keep myself awake.

"Welcome to my home." He said, bringing us each a cup of tea. "I hope it's clean enough…I wasn't expecting visitors. So what's your story? Are you lost? Plane crash survivors? What?" His eyes lingered on Wanda. "Wait… don't I know you?"

After our trek in the woods and time in the sun, Wanda looked more than a little disheveled, so I didn't blame Bruce for not recognizing her. Honestly it was really better for our cause; if he'd known it was Wanda, he probably wouldn't have let us in.

Wanda shook her head, probably not wanting her accent and voice to give her away.

"Actually, we were looking for you, Dr. Banner." I piped up, diverting the attention to his original questions.

His expression darkened. "I'm not coming back, if that's what you want. I've already caused enough damage- I don't need to cause more."

"That's not what I'm here for." I told him. "I'm here because I need your brain."

"My what? Who are you?"

Taking a deep breath, I explained my situation: how I was Tony Stark's daughter and I got kidnapped and an alien substance changed my genes so bad things would happen and so now I'd come to him to help me fix it.

Bruce listened thoughtfully as I spoke. "So…Tony recommended me? Why? I'm more experienced with radiation than genetics."

"But you do have a lot of experience in genetics; you worked in a genetics lab for five years long before the accident.*Also, you do have some personal experience on mutations, and you're the only one who we could probably trust with…classified…information like this, know what I mean?"

He ran a hand through his curly hair. "I guess so. Why didn't Tony help you, though?"

I scowled. "He did at first but then he decided to be a self serving bastard."

"I thought he was your father."

"Just because he's my father doesn't mean he's not a bastard."

Bruce chuckled. "I guess not."

"So will you help?" Wanda asked, speaking up for the first time in a while.

"I guess so. It's not like I have much else to do in this lab Fury set up for me. The peace is nice, but there's very little action. Be careful, though, and don't try to make me mad like your father did. I promise you don't want to meet the other guy and I don't want to see him again either. That's why I'm here." He squinted at Wanda. "I do recognize you. Wanda Maximoff. You and your brother helped at the battle of Sokovia."

"Yes, that was me." Wanda confirmed.

"Also you brainwashed the whole team."

"I regret my mistakes now."

"And you-"

"It's been a grand old conversation, but we've been traveling for like fifteen hours now, so do you have anywhere for us to rest?" I cut in, holding back a yawn.

"Er no. I wasn't expecting guests ever, so there's no guest rooms."

"Do you have a couch?"

"Yes."

"Where is it?"

He pointed to a door across the room. "In the living room in there."

"Then we'll just stay there."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Come on, Wanda. We'll see you in the morning Bruce." I grabbed her hand, but she didn't budge.

"You don't mind us staying, right?" She asked Bruce politely.

He shook his head. "No. I couldn't just let you go out into the jungle alone."

"Thank you for your hospitality."

"No problem."

She stopped resisting my pull, and we both left Bruce and entered what was the 'living room'. There wasn't much, just a couple small couches, a large window outside, and fans blowing cool air into the enclosed space. I dropped down my bag on the floor and dug through it, pulling out a granola bar and collapsing on a couch.

Wanda sunk down onto one nearby, and we relaxed a couple minutes in silence, besides my crunching. Soon, she fell asleep and I did too, too tired to dream of anything but forest and sunshine.

* I made this up; it's not actually part of his comic canon life


	16. Chapter 16:We Can Go Home

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry again this took so long and sorry this is so short. But I just started break today so I should have a lot of time to get the other chapter up and hopefully the whole thing will be edited and posted before Easter. Thanks for reading and feedback! Disclaimer: I don't own anything Marvel**

I held a vial with my cure in my fist, watching the liquid swirling around. Setting it on the table, I turned to grin at Bruce and Wanda. "I think this is it." I told them cheerfully. "I think this will fix it."

"You've said that about the past fifteen times." Wanda remarked with a sigh.

"Yes, but this time I'm right."

"You also said that the past many times."

"But then I didn't have the same confident feeling I feel now."

"Really?"

"Really."

Bruce rolled his eyes at my confidence. "Why don't you just try the cure?"He suggested.

"Good idea." I picked up the vial again and poured it into a syringe. Taking it from my hand, Wanda injected the liquid and cure into my vein, careful not to spill any.

The minute it was all in my bloodstream, the world suddenly blanked away and pain clouded my thoughts. I screamed, falling to my knees and feeling Wanda's arms grab mine to stop me from falling onto my face as I blacked out.

Inside me, a battle was waging between the old power and the cure. Such a reaction never had happened before, so I knew it was working. If I weren't in a state of constant pain, I'd have been overjoyed. My head was going to explode or maybe even my whole body. I ached, I burned, I thought I may die.

The pain lasted for what felt like an eternity before it slowly faded and then disappeared entirely. I blinked open my eyes, taking in the space around me with blurry vision. I was no longer in the lab, instead I lay on my couch with a cool cloth on my head. Wanda sat nearby, reading a book.

"What happened?" I croaked.

She carefully shut her book and looked up at me. "You collapsed, so we carried you in here. You've been feverish for hours."

"Where's Bruce?"

"He went outside. He thought he'd killed you, so he was upset. I assured him you'd be fine, but he didn't believe me."

She suddenly squinted at me, staring at my eyes.

"What?" I asked, self-consciously looking away. I realized what she might be referring to. "Have my eyes changed back? Are they brown again?" I'd used to hate my brown eyes and their similarity to my father's, but now I wanted nothing more than to have them back. I was sick of purple, and what it implied for me. I could only go home if they looked normal again.

"Not exactly-"

My heart fell. "So they're still purple? I'm still cursed?" I cut in before she could finish.

"Let me finish, please. They aren't brown, but they aren't purple either.

"Then what are they? Black? Have my eyes fallen out?"

"I think you would know if they had." She pulled her phone from her jacket pocket, turning on the camera. "Here. Look." She handed it to me.

I gazed at my reflection in the mirror, shocked by what I saw. She was right; my eyes were neither brown nor purple, they were golden. "What the hell?" I exclaimed, not able to take my eyes off my eyes. "Why are they golden? What's that supposed to mean?"

She didn't respond for a minute, seeming to think things over. "Perhaps they're gold because gold is the opposite of purple and now your curse is the opposite."

" _What_?"

"I think it's like this: you and Bruce created this 'cure' by flipping your malfunctioning new genes, and so now they've flipped to do the opposite thing rather then going away."

I groaned. "But I just want to be normal. What's the opposite of being a curse?"

"A blessing."

"Then what's my new power?"

She shrugged. "I don't know; we'll have to see. I'll bet its good luck though."

Just then, Bruce burst through the door, staring at me. "You're alive." He commented.

"No shit Sherlock." I replied. "Please stop staring at me, I can't stand it."

"Sorry. I just…I figured you'd be dead, yet another person whose death was my fault."

My scoffing turned to slight pity. "Well, that's not what happened. Besides, those deaths weren't really you."

"Might as well have been."

"Do you even remember killing people and smashing buildings?" Wanda asked softly.

"No."

"Then I don't think you should be blamed."

"That's what you say now. If you met him, like you almost did, you would think differently."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He sighed. "I went outside because I was getting too upset… It was a miracle I was able to contain him."

"A miracle, you say?" Questioned Wanda, looking at me. I didn't understand what she was implying.

Bruce didn't seem to either. "Uh yes. I suppose you could call it that. I just suddenly felt peaceful."

"That's a bit of good luck."

It all clicked in my mind. "OH!" I exclaimed.

"I told you." Wanda said.

Bruce looked between the two of us, confused. "What happened?"

"Well," Wanda explained, "While you were out on your…walk…Nika woke up and I noticed she had golden eyes. I thought about you guys' technique, and I wondered: what if her power of chaos has reversed, becoming a power of good luck? Now, I have proof of that hypothesis."

"So the cure didn't work?"

"Not in the way you intended."

"Which means not in the way we wanted." I commented bitterly. I'd still be causing random phenomena I couldn't control.

Wanda frowned. " I don't think good luck is a bad thing. Most people would kill for that power. It's far better than the alternative."

"I guess that's true." I muttered.

"And you know what else it means?"

"What?"

"We can go home."

My face lit up, but I noticed that Bruce's expression clouded. "You're right!" I said gleefully. Excitement bloomed in my chest for the event I had thought may never happen: going home. Over the past two months, I'd had no communication with the outside world and missed my friends, especially Steve, terribly. Even if I wasn't completely fixed, Wanda was right to say I was good enough to go home. "That's so exciting."

I could've danced around the room with joy, but my flame flickered when I saw the forlorn expressions on both Wanda' and Bruce's faces. "What's wrong?" I asked them, upset that they didn't share my enthusiasm.

"Nothing." They replied near simultaneously .

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, right. Come on," I grabbed Wanda hand first and pulled her onto the couch beside me. "Spill."

"That's not going to work on me."

"What's the big deal? I thought you agreed not to hide things from me."

She sighed heavily. "Fine. It's really irrational, though. I don't want to go back to New York because I'm scared Pietro will be mad at me."

"Oh." My brow furrowed with confusion. "Well, I highly doubt that. You guys were inseparable before, but I'm sure he understands why you left. I'll take the fall for it if you want." I really hated that idea, but after all Wanda had done for me, I had to do something for her.

She shook her head sadly. "Perhaps he has moved on, found a new companion in someone else."

"Yeah right." I scoffed. "You're his sister; nothing will ever be more important to him than you. And if he is mad, then he'll get over it. You two have been through too much together not to and… family bonds can never be erased." For Wanda, I hoped that'd be a good thing. For me it was bad. As much as I saw him as simply a friend, Tony was my father and no matter what that wouldn't change. Even if I hated him more than I did now, I could never really get away from him.

She nodded. "I'm sure."

"So what about you?" I asked, turning to Bruce.

"What do you mean?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'll just…miss the company."

Suddenly, I understood. He didn't want us to leave because then he'd be stuck alone. I hated to do that to him, but I couldn't help it. He was the one who'd chosen to hide, and he was the one who needed to snap out of it. He saw himself as a monster, and there was nothing I could do about it; I'd been trying for months. "I'm sorry." I told him.

"You know," Wanda said kindly. "You could always come back with us." She and I both had schemed to get Bruce to loosen us his harsh view of himself, but it was of no avail. He didn't care enough about our opinions for it to make a difference.

He shook his head. "No. I never can go back. There's no cure for my problem."

"I understand. We'll miss you."

Wanda twirled her necklace in her hand, thinking. "Is there anything you want us to tell anyone back in New York?"

"No, no." He replied quickly, but then he hesitated.

"You only get this one chance." Wanda reminded him.

His eyebrows furrowed and he muttered to himself. "I guess then," He told us, his voice becoming audible. "Then could you tell Natasha that…I'm sorry."

I frowned. "Natasha? Why? Were you two… a thing?"

"Not really. I just left her abruptly, and I think it's time she knows where I am."

"Alright, we'll tell her." Wanda told him.

"…Thanks." I could tell he regretted telling us to do it, but he didn't change his mind. I wondered what he was to Natasha, and why I hadn't noticed before. Well, I thought to myself, it wasn't like she was very open with her emotions.

Over the rest of the day, I spent my time trying to connect to some sort of internet, so we could book tickets. I finally hacked in, and we got tickets to fly to Miami and then NYC the next morning. I printed the tickets on Bruce's printer and we prepped our bags to go home. I couldn't say I wasn't elated, though I'd miss Bruce's company. Much like the rest of the Avengers, he'd become my friend.

The next morning, Wanda and I hugged Bruce goodbye and left in our little raft, this time careful to put on hats and sunscreen first. We ditched the boat near the dock, entered the airport, and got onto a plane that would take us into Miami.


	17. Chapter 17: Where's Steve

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for following and reviewing! I admit the editing got a little lazy at the end of this chapter but it's pretty frickin long and I wanted to get it up as soon as possible lol. Hope yall enjoy it! Disclaimer: I still don't own Marvel (rip at me)**

The moment we touched down on American soil, my phone blew up with notifications and texts. Most of it was random stuff, people posting on twitter and whatever, but as I waited for our connecting flight, I read through some concerning texts and news reports. The conflict between my father and Steve had only escalated in my absence, and become practically a war between the Avengers. Steve claimed that Bucky deserved fair treatment and Tony argued he deserved to rot in prison. The conflict had only erupted into battle a few times, but the Avengers were totally divided and Steve was a wanted man for crimes involving protecting Bucky from the government's prisons. That fact scared me since I knew Steve wasn't invincible and couldn't run forever. For now, news reports said he was in hiding, but I doubted it would last long.

" _Steve?_ " I texted him, hoping he still had the same phone, and that it wasn't being tracked. If it was, I could fix that when I returned home.

" _Nika? Are you back? What happened?_ "

I put away my phone to board the plane, and then texted him a description of the past month's events. He in turn gave me a description of what had happened to him, though he left out his current location. I understood; he didn't want someone to hack and read the text, which Tony could easily do.

For the next few hours of the flight, I texted him nonstop, oblivious to everything around me. Occasionally, I'd also text Pietro and Hawkeye, but no one on my father's side. I didn't want him to know I'd returned, though I doubted he'd even noticed I'd left. Needless to say, I was still angry at him. Perhaps if I hadn't been, I'd have been torn between siding with my fiancé and my father, but Tony made it clear he wanted nothing to do with me. It wasn't even a choice.

The pilot said something over the com, and I pulled myself from my thoughts to listen. Within ten minutes, we landed in New York City and exited the plane. I hailed a taxi, and told it to go to her address. My desire to see Steve was burning, but I was tired and I didn't know where he was. After spending so long with just Wanda and Bruce, it felt strange I'd be seeing other people.

We pulled up in front a moderately large apartment complex, and Wanda rode the elevator to the tenth floor. We dragged our bags to 10C, and Wanda knocked loudly on the door. Pietro opened the door, a toothbrush hanging out from his mouth like he'd just been brushing his teeth. His jaw dropped when he saw us and the toothbrush fell onto the floor.

"Sister!" He exclaimed, giving her a bear hug and twirling her around at super speed.

She laughed slightly. "Put me down, Pietro." She said sternly.

He laughed and dropped her back onto the ground. "Where have you been?" He asked, his joy fading a little. I could see hurt flash in his eyes.

"I needed to separate myself from you. After you got hurt in Sokovia, I realized how badly off I'd be if you died and if we kept up this 'superhero' work I love, we'd have to learn to deal with distance. This seemed like a perfect opportunity to test that."

"But Wanda," Pietro countered sadly, "We're a team. We're twins, made to complement each other. Do you know how strange it was to not have you here for two months? I don't even know where any of the cleaning supplies are since you always tell me, so I couldn't clean the whole time."

Wanda chuckled. "That's your excuse for not cleaning?"

"Yeah. I felt like I should say it before you come in the apartment and see."

I felt like an intruder, so I walked into the apartment and left them to talk things out. After hours of flying, I was tired of sitting around, but there was nothing else to be done until I went to see Steve tomorrow. Thinking of him, I pulled out my phone and continued to text him while Wanda and Pietro talked. I didn't mean to be insensitive, but I really hoped they'd hurry it along; it was late and I wanted to be able to go to bed and wake up as soon as possible.

Finally, half an hour later, Wanda and Pietro came into the living room, talking and laughing with the same ease as they always had. Wanda paused when she saw the state of the room, shaking her head in disapproval while Pietro laughed.

"I don't know about you, but I'm tired. I'm going to go sleep and Nika… ah… we don't have a guest bedroom, so I suppose you'll have to sleep on the couch. Or I can if that's too-"

"No, it's fine. " I told her dismissively, pulling a blanket from over the pillows and wrapping it around myself to show I'd be comfy.

Her phone began to buzz and she quickly answered it. "Vision?" She asked breathlessly. She hurried into her room and closed the door behind her, presumably to talk to her beaux in privacy.

Pietro gave me a look of disgust and I laughed, knowing what he thought about the pair. I realized with a start that I'd missed his humor- I'd missed something about each person on the team. I was so grateful that I could finally return and maybe do good. I finally had what was practically a family, and I would do everything in my power to keep it together, even though at my return things were still fractured.

Pietro and I talked for a few minutes about what I'd missed and then he left me alone to get much needed sleep. My dreams were scattered, like normal dreams, but the main theme was Steve. Most of the dreams were peaceful, but at some point, I dreamed of Steve being shot by my father and dying in my arms. I woke in a cold sweat. It was nearly five am, too early to wake up Wanda but too late to go back to bed, so I went ahead and showered and got ready for the day.

Since I planned on seeing Steve again that day, I dressed up a little more than I had at the lab. I chose a nice silver blouse and torn up shorts to wear and applied silver eye shadow to match it. It took half an hour to curl my hair, but I was up so early that it didn't matter. Honestly, it was actually a nice diversion so I didn't have to think about my nightmare.

I finally finished getting ready by seven, and I went to the kitchen expecting to be alone. Instead, I found Wanda sitting in a chair and staring pensively out the window.

In silence, she stirred her coffee and I poured myself some milk and cereal from her pantry. I sat down at the table across from her.

"So." She finally said, breaking the silence. "What do you plan on doing today?"

"I'm going to go see Steve. I don't know if I can go any longer without him. He's like a part of me. … Do you want to come with me?"

"No, but Pietro and I will be over in few hours. I'm not going to be the one to wake him up early."

I laughed. "Good idea. I'll see you then."

We kept talking over breakfast until I pulled out my phone and texted Steve, asking where I could meet him. I went out onto the balcony of the apartment while I waited, but immediately regretted it when the cold blasted me in the face full force. I recoiled, missing my LA heat and sunshine, and went right back inside. At home, February would've been spring already, but in New York City, it just meant more cold.

My phone buzzed and I clicked it on to read Steve's text.

" _Where are you_?" He asked.

I texted him the address.

" _I'm so sorry Nika, but I have something to take care of so I can't get you. I'll send someone to bring you here, though. Just wait outside_."

If anyone else had said that, I would've been hurt, but this was Steve. " _Alright._ " I said. " _I'll see you soon. I love you._ "

" _Love you too_." He texted.

I gathered my belongings and said a brief goodbye to Wanda and Pietro before hurrying outside to meet whomever Steve was sending to meet me. The cold was brutal, but I wrapped my arms around myself and hunched over, determined to wait it out. I couldn't miss my ride, because then I'd miss seeing the love of my life.

I'd been huddling in the cold for over half an hour before a kind of scruffy looking brunette male approached me. It took a second, but by the few pictures I'd seen at museums, I knew he was Bucky Barnes. I leapt to my feet.

"Oh my God." I said. "You're Bucky Barnes." I was a little star struck, since I'd heard so many stories about him. During our walks and talks and dates, Steve always told me stories about him and Bucky and their legendary friendship. I'd come to see him as more of a favorite book character than an actual person, yet there he was in the flesh.

He nodded. "That would be me."

"Aren't you in hiding?" I asked.

"Yes, so don't tell anyone I'm her." I stood up from the concrete, and he discreetly looked me over. "Steve certainly has good taste." He said jokingly.

I rolled my eyes. "Excuse me? Don't be a dick."

"I was just commenting."

"Well in the future kept your comments to yourself." I scolded him playfully. "So where are we going?"

"Car's over there." He said, pointing.

Bucky grabbed my bag for me and we walked to the car. He hopped in the driver's seat, refusing to let me drive even though I felt sure I'd be better at it. Even if he wasn't as chivalrous and kind as Steve, he still was influenced by the cultural norms from his time.

The pace of the traffic was unsuprisingly slow, so I kicked my feet up on the dash and started talking to Bucky. I wanted to get to know the guy who meant so much to Steve while I had the chance.

"So," I said. "How have you been?"

"Just wonderful. Enjoying the after affects of brainwashing." He replied with sarcastic enthusiasm.

"I bet that's fun." I told him drily. "I expected you to be more serious and stoic, like Steve."

"Steve and I aren't that much alike; that's why we're best friends."

I thought about Wanda and how different we were, and I totally understood what he meant. "Makes sense, although you're alike in that you're the only two people left from the 1940s who are below 35."

"Wow that's the legacy I wanted."

"You're so lucky; I wish I was you." I joked.

He smirked, but I could see a slight bit of hurt in his eyes. "No, you don't. I don't have a particularly good track record."

"Neither do I, honestly." My mind flashed back to the incident in Sokovia when I'd killed a man. Even now, years later, the memory still haunted me. I couldn't imagine how I'd feel if I had to kill more people; it went against every fabric of my being. Sure, I was selfish, sure, I got angry and hit people, but I wasn't and never could be a murderer. People were frustrating, but they still deserved to live.

I changed the subject. "So how do you like 2016?"

"Well, technology has grown a little too complicated for my liking. I try to avoid the internet, because I barely understand how that works."

"Oh, it's simple." I gave him a lengthy explanation, though I had a feeling he didn't understand a word. I liked showing off, especially since it seemed to be getting on his nerves. "Too complicated for your delicate mind?" I teased him when I concluded and he looked bewildered.

He quickly wiped the expression from his face and rolled his eyes. "No. You're just super smart…for a dame."

"And you're pretty annoying…for a human being."

He went to make a comeback, but had a swerve suddenly to avoid an accident. After a few more wild swerves, he righted himself and kept driving as if nothing had happened. My nails dug into the cushion of my seat, my eyes wide. "You're going to get us killed." I muttered. Being such a good driver myself, I was hypersensitive to other people's poor driving.

"Are you insulting my driving?"

"Totally. You are shit at this." A truck playing loud music pulled up beside us and he clenched up, swerving slightly to the left and almost hitting a nearby car. Once my panic faded, I added. "And there's my proof. You're going to destroy this beautiful car."

"We'll be fine, miss, don't you worry."

"Miss? Aw I thought we were better friends than that, Mr. Barnes."

"We did just meet ten minutes ago."

"But I like you. You're amusing."

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not."

I laughed, abruptly stopping when Bucky took a turn a little too fast. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" I accused. His smirk in response gave me all the answers I needed. "You bastard!"

He laughed. "I've decided it's my job to annoy Steve's girlfriend for him, since I doubt he does that very often; he's too polite."

"Yeah, and it's great. He doesn't cause car accidents."

"That's as far as you know."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked. He shrugged in response and I huffed. "You really are a bastard."

"Oh, that insult hurts."He joked, placing a hand over his heart as if he'd been shot.

"Just keep both hands on the wheel." I muttered dismissively. I removed my feet from the dash and fiddled with the radio, settling on the news station.

"Why are we listening to this?" Bucky asked.

"I'm behind on the news. You probably understand."

He grunted his agreement. For the next five minutes, we listened to the radio and a asked him questions about what was going on, some of which he had been too busy hiding to know so he couldn't answer. Though he annoyed the shit out of me, Bucky was really funny and we got along well.

The car pulled up in front of a dark apartment building in a kind of sketchy part of town and Bucky stopped.

"Is this where Steve and co. are hiding out?" I asked, glancing out the window to the building. It wasn't particularly nice, but it wasn't as dilapidated as some buildings near it. Brownish red bricks made up the walls with small, round windows dispersed evenly in set spaces around the building. Graffiti painted one sided of the building, but other than that it didn't show much signs of wear.

"Yes." Bucky said, parking the car and coming around to my side to open the door for me. I would've done it first, but I was too busy examining the exterior of the building to pay attention.

"Before we go in, there's something I need to tell you." He said once I stepped out from the car.

"Is it that I'm so beautiful that you can't take your eyes off me?" I joked.

He chuckled slightly, but his laugh held less humor than usual. "Sure, but, seriously, I need to talk to you about Steve."

"What about him?" I asked, a knot of worry forming in my chest.

"Lately he's just been…well… this conflict with Tony has gotten to him. He's unhappy, far more so than usual. I think you being here will lift his spirits a little, he mentions constantly how much he misses you, but I don't think he'll be back to his optimist self for a while."

I frowned. "All right. Thanks for warning me." I tried not to show how worried I really was. I wanted nothing more in life than for Steve to be happy, so hearing that he was sad hurt me deeply. My brain began calculating methods to cheer him up.

I entered the building and Bucky took me up to the eighth floor, constantly looking around to see if anyone was around. When we reached a green door at the end of the hall, Bucky knocked in a pattern and the door swung open with Hawkeye behind it.

"Welcome back." He told me, opening the door and letting us in.

I looked around the small room, seeing a lot of cheap furniture, Falcon, Hawkeye, Vision, and not Steve. My stomach twisted with worry, though a part of me knew he wouldn't be there.

"Where's Steve?" I asked, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Clint's expression clouded. "He had to leave."

"What happened?" Bucky asked, concern etched in his voice.

"He went to go talk to Tony."

"What?" I asked incredulously. "I thought they hated each other."

"They do, but they were meeting to talk about it. It probably will escalate into a fight."

"Shouldn't we be helping or something?"

Falcon shook his head. "He'll be fine. He's been doing this for a long time."

"Okay." I still felt uneasy, but I had to trust Steve. Nonetheless, trust did nothing to unknot the worry in my chest. I nervously brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, trying to think of something to divert my attention. "I'm hungry. Is there a kitchen somewhere?"

"Of course." Bucky said. "Right this way."

He led me up the stairs to the second floor of the apartment, while the others returned to their game of cards.

By the time I finished lunch, no one had said a peep about Steve. I persisted, though, and stayed by the TV in case the news said something. Pietro and Wanda came and talked to me for the first hour, but then both left to do other things. I was left alone to watch the news and fear for my fiancé's life.

I thanked my lucky stars that two hours later, there was still no mention of Steve. Yet, my luck didn't hold long. Feeling more confident nothing would happen, I got up to get something to drink, and when I returned everything had changed.

 _Breaking News!_ flashed across the screen, and behind the newscasters, there were several figures locked in combat. I knew it was my father and my fiancé. My eyes were glued to the screen in shock, watching two formers friends beat the snot out of each other. I wasn't sure who was winning, it was happening too fast to find out, but I knew I had to stop it before anyone got seriously hurt.

I bolted from the room, running into Wanda on the way. "Whoa. What's wrong?" She asked me.

"They're fighting." I told her breathlessly. "I have to go help them."

She needed no more explanation, understanding instantly who and what I meant. "I'll come too." She told me gravely.

I nodded slightly and took off towards the car, grabbing a key from the counter so I wouldn't have to waste my time trying to hijack the car. Wanda hopped in beside me, and I drove off towards the park I knew they were fighting in. The New York City traffic slowed me down, and I grew more and more impatient the longer we waited. Wanda didn't bother trying to talk to me, she knew I was too worked up, and instead just stared out the window and texted Pietro what happened.

A tap sounded on my window minutes later, and I jumped away, expecting to see some creepy homeless person. Instead, Pietro stood there with an uncharacteristically solemn expression on his face. I rolled down the window for him to speak to Wanda.

"I will take you to the park." He told her. "We have to help Rogers."

"No." She shook her head and gestured to me. "Take her."

Pietro looked at her, confusion written across his face. "Why her not you?"

"She and Rogers are in love, so he should listen to her without violence and Tony cares deeply for her as her father."

I sighed. "He doesn't give a damn about me."

"So you think. But, I know better; I've seen his mind."

I wasn't sure whether to be happy or upset by that revelation, but I didn't have time to choose before Wanda shoved me out of the car and took the spot in the driver's seat. Pietro picked me up and I tightly wrapped my arms around his neck and closed my eyes before he bolted. The world blurred around me thanks to the extreme speed and we quickly reached the park. Gently, Pietro set me on the grass, and I swayed, struggling to regain my balance.

"Thanks." I told him, finally having found my footing.

"Anytime." He replied absently, his attention really on the battle up ahead of us. Steve and Tony were fighting back and forth, and Tony had been joined by his friend Rhodey. Falcon beat me by flying and stood by Steve, protecting his back. I could hear a nearby reporter saying that earlier Tony had told Steve that he was coming to arrest him and would take him by whatever means necessary, and my heart caught in my throat. I had to stop this madness before it was too late. "I will go get Wanda." Pietro told me, bolting back down the streets. I barely acknowledged his leaving, instead slowly walking towards my friends who were locked in combat.

"Tony! Steve!" I screamed at them. I wasn't sure, but I thought I saw them both glance at me. I knew they knew I was there. "There are more important things than to fight like this."

Neither of them showed any signs of having heard me, but I knew they did. I opened my mouth to keep trying to talk sense into them, but then the world changed so fast. In the blink of an eye, Steve somehow was vaulted into the air and slammed into the dirt by Tony. I wasn't sure if it was an accident or if the suit malfunctioned, but Tony used the strength capacities of the suit to not only slam him to the ground, but to slam Steve into the ground. He cleaved a giant hole in the ground using his body, which couldn't have felt good. Dirt sprayed in the air, and I was temporarily blinded, shielding my face with my hands. I missed what happened in the next few moments, but when the dust cleared, Tony was standing and Steve was still down. Seconds ticked by and he didn't get up. Though he was tougher than a normal human, he wasn't indestructible and I feared the worst. Covering my scream with my hand over my mouth, I watched in horror as Falcon lifted Steve from the dirt and used his wings to fly off with him. Tony and Rhodey didn't stop them. The face of the iron man suit lifted up, and I saw a regretful expression flash across Tony's face before he quickly replaced it with a stage face. He turned to glance at me, and I glared at him, hatred and anguish in my eyes.

Behind me, I heard a whoosh and then the sound of Pietro and Wanda walking up behind me. "You're too late." I told them, throat dry. "Falcon just flew off with him."

"Flew off with him?" Pietro said. "What do you mean?"

My nails dug into my palm, relieving some of the pent up anger and fear and stress I felt. "He was critically injured. I assume he took him to a hospital." It took all the effort in the world to keep my words level and calm, but I managed it.

Wanda patted me on the shoulder, seeing right through my cover. "He is not dead. I would feel it." She told me.

I nodded tersely, afraid tears would fall if I spoke.

"What should we do now?" Pietro asked.

Wanda said something, but it turned to hum in behind the pounding in my ears when I saw Tony walking towards me. For once, there was no humor in his expression. "Where have you been?" He asked me.

"None of your business you fucking bastard." I hissed at him. I didn't notice the cameras that were now trained on me.

"It is my business; I'm your father."

"If you want to be my father, you're doing a shit job of it. Not only did you cut me out when I needed you most, but now you've seriously injured the one person I love most in the world. I hate you."

It was then that I noticed the flashes of the cameras and the video cameras facing me. They were all staring at me, and now I knew the whole world was staring at me, and I freaked out. So many emotions were swirling in me already that I couldn't control my reaction. I ran away, through the traffic and towards a familiar building I was glad to notice in the horizon: Wanda' apartment complex. I ran through the spinning door and into the bathroom, where I proceeded to break down. I leaned against the wall, my lungs refusing to breathe and my body locking up. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move, I was terrified. Even worse were my thoughts; I felt like I may die but I was more worried that Steve was going to die and leave me. Then there were the stares of others that were burned into my brain and perpetuated my current panic. Finally, after a couple minutes, the overwhelming feelings receded and I could breathe again. I slid down the wall and into a crouch, hugging my arms around myself. I was still shaking, so it was hard to type, but I managed to text Wanda to come help me and what had happened.

Minutes later, she burst through the door and knelt in front of me, telling me gently to calm down and that it was okay. Her voice was soothing, and I was actually somewhat calmed. Taking a deep breath, I asked her if she had any news on Steve or what was going on.

"Falcon took him to the nearest hospital and they're going to do whatever it takes to save him. Honestly, it must be a lot of pressure; I hate to be known as the person who let Steve Rogers die. "

"I have to go see him." I told her shakily.

She nodded. "I'll take you. Don't try to protest; you aren't in a state to drive."

"Alright."

While she drove, I texted Falcon for details. He said he was in critical condition with a crack in his skull. It took a lot to take down Captain America, but a split skull definitely did the trick. Apparently, however, he really was super lucky since his brain wasn't damaged.

Wanda and I walked into the waiting room of the hospital and I ignored the stares of the other Avengers and went straight up to the desk.

"I need to see Steve Rogers." I told the nurse on duty.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, he isn't stable enough to be accepting visitors and only kin would be allowed to visit."

"I am kin." I snapped in irritation. "I'm his fiancé." I could feel the eyes of the others who didn't know boring into the back of my skull for that comment, and panic threatened to overtake me again. Sensing my state of mind, Wanda put a hand on my shoulder to comfort me.

The nurse gave me a quizzical expression too, but didn't disagree with my claim. "Then when he is seeing visitors then you will be first."

"Thank you." Wanda said for me. We both walked towards the sitting area, and Tony rose to talk to me. In the small room, all of the Avengers who lived in New York were waiting, seeming to have forgotten their differences for the time being. The possible death of one of them wasn't something to be taken lightly.

"Listen, Nika, can I talk to you?" Tony asked. "Privately."

My blood boiled at the sight of him, but I agreed. Honestly, I just wanted to hit and yell at him instead of talking to him. We went into the hallway where they only kept medical supplies, so there were very few people to witness.

The moment that I felt sure we were totally alone, I bunched up my fist and punched him hard in the face. My knuckles split on the impact, but his pained expression made it all worth it. "You don't know how good that felt."

"I probably deserved that."

"You sure as hell deserved that." Not able to resist it, I punched him again. I hadn't punched someone in years, yet now I realized how great a stress reliever it was. "And that."

He recovered and stared at me, clutching his cheek. "I can't say this is how I expected this conversation to go."

"Then how did you want it to go? What could you possibly say to me to make it better?"

"Uh." He said, then he sighed. "I just wanted to say…I'm sorry. I don't say that a lot, by the way, so be grateful."

"Oh, gee, I feel so privileged." I joked angrily.

"Seriously, Nika, I am sorry. I've only been your father for so long; I really don't know how to act. I don't want to be like my father by being cold and distant, which I kind of did. And I regret it, honestly."

"That doesn't make it better. Besides, there's the matter of you nearly killing Steve. Do you realize how much that would hurt me? Heck, that would hurt the whole world. He's a better man than you by an infinite amount."

"That's not true. I am pretty great." I glared at him and turned to leave. He grabbed my shoulder. "Wait. But, that said, I didn't mean to kill him and I didn't want to hurt him. It's not personal; it's just politics."

"Since when have you cared about politics? Or something other than yourself for that matter?"

Suprisingly, he had no comeback to that. "I'm not sure."

"You're such a dick."

"I know I am. But," He choked on his words a little. "I'd really like you to forgive me."

I bit back a retort, and actually thought about it. My anger had slightly cooled, and my old philosophy hit me full force. He and I had had good times together and though he messed up big time, I didn't want to cut him out of my life forever. For better or worse, he was my father and there was no changing it. I could either accept that and deal with Tony's flaws or I spend the rest of my life bitter.

"Maybe." I told him.

"Maybe?"

"I can maybe forgive you; I want to. But if Steve is dead, I never will. I can't continue being friendly to the one who murdered the love of my life."

"Understood." He said, shrugging as if this meant nothing to him. I knew he only did it for the sake of his own pride.

A nurse entered the space, eyeing us strangely before we quickly left the hallway and entered the waiting room again. For the next four hours, I waited in that damned hospital room for news of Steve. The nice nurse behind the counter gave me occasional updates to say he was alive, but she couldn't let me in. I grew restless and frustrated, so I paced the room incessantly and then pulled the Rubik's cube I always kept in my purse out and played with it. No one dared to talk to me, sensing my mood, but they whispered and talked to each other. All of them knew and/or admired Steve as their current/former leader, so they didn't want to see him go.

Finally, the nurse came over and said she could let me talk to Steve now. I leapt from the chair and followed right on her heels. Only one visitor was allowed, so I left all the others behind to talk to Steve alone. The nurse showed me the room and then went back to her post. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

There Steve was, lying on a hospital bed with IVs in his arms and a huge bandage around his head. "Oh, Steve…" I said breathlessly, making contact with his beautiful blue eyes. I ran over to him and hugged him tightly, ignoring his grunt of discomfort. I'd missed him too long to be physically separated any longer.

"Nika I-" Steve started. I cut him off with a passionate kiss, and he didn't try to continue talking. Despite the total happiness I felt, tears ran down my face. I pulled away and rested my forehead against his.

"I missed you so much." I told him, sniffling. "And then I got back and I… I thought you died."

"I missed you, too. I promise, I'm going to be fine now."

"You better be." I pulled away, staring into his eyes. "I need you here. I love you."

"I love you too." He scrunched his eyebrows, looking at my eyes. "What about you? Are you better? Your eyes aren't purple anymore, but they aren't brown either."

"No shit Sherlock. Anyways, it's kinda complicated. I'm not cursed anymore but I'm not cured. It seems like whatever the Erythmen did to my DNA has been reversed, so I have good luck. Haven't seen much evidence of it though."

"Are you going to go back and fix it?" He asked. I sensed a little sadness in his tone, since he didn't want me to leave again. I didn't either.

"No. I'll live with it, unless it endangers you guys."

"If it makes you feel better, you look beautiful with gold eyes." He cleared his throat. "Not that an eye color wouldn't look good."

His attempt to lift my spirits was adorable, and I smiled. Really, though, I should've been comforting him and not the other way around. "Thanks. So, how were things in my absence?" His expression soured, and I had a feeling it wasn't a fun topic. I tried to change it. "What good things happened?"

"Bucky isn't an assassin."

"That's the best thing you've got? Must've been a slow month."

"It was. There was also this moment…"

We talked for what seemed like forever, falling into the familiar pattern we've had in the months before. Slowly, though, I could tell he was tiring out due to his head injury. "You should rest." I told him.

"You're more important to me right now."

"And your health is more important to me." I kissed his cheek and rose from where I was sitting on his bed. "I'll be back to talk to you soon."

I left the room, glancing back only once to see him already sleeping. He looked so peaceful, so content. Two months without him had seemed like a decade, and I couldn't imagine doing it again. I just wanted to be with him and march into the sunset hand in hand, but I doubted that would happen. We weren't the type of people destined for an easy happily ever after.

When I reached the waiting room, the other Avengers clamored around me for news and told them Steve was fine and would probably be out of the hospital soon thanks to his fabulous super soldier health. They were all relieved, even those against him, even Tony. It felt like the family was back together almost like it was on Thanksgiving. I missed the way we've used to be, but thanks to this miniature war between us, I doubted everything would be the same again. Knowing this, I enjoyed the moment while it lasted, and cherished our temporary peace. Maybe Steve's ending up in the hospital really had turned into a piece of good luck.


	18. Chapter 18: Out of One War into Another

**A/N: Two days in a row whoop! Only about ten chapters after this. Please review and tell me what you think bc reviews are life :) Disclaimer: Same as always**

I stood on the balcony of Steve and I's apartment, waiting for him to return home and take me on the date he promised. It was mid March, months after Steve's injury, and he'd been long since released from the hospital. Now, the Avengers stopped fighting each other over Bucky and fought the terrorist threat that recently escalated. The terrorist group called "Aracher", the one that held the Erythmen, had time to grow in numbers and talent without much interference when the Avengers had been preoccupied. America as well as the Avengers were very near to declaring full scale war on them after a bomb was set off that took out the power in the whole city of Chicago. No longer did they just focus on Avengers bases; now they were totally public.

A slight breeze blew across the balcony, chilling my bare arms. I shivered, wrapping my shawl around my shoulders. I was pretty dressed up, for me, wearing a long, tight black dress with a long slit down the side. As usual, the dress was meant for show rather than practicality, and it left my back and arms at the mercy of the cold. My shoes weren't very practical either; they were four inch high stilettos that didn't do well on any substance that wasn't completely flat, which most of the world wasn't.

The front door inside opened and closed, and I rushed inside to meet Steve. He looked tired from his mission, but he smiled brightly when he saw me. I ran into his arms, ignoring the dirt that stained his uniform and now probably my dress. "Welcome home!" I told him.

He spun me in the air and I laughed. "You look beautiful." He told me earnestly.

I wiped a piece of ash from his face. "And you look as handsome as always, just with the addition of some dirt. Are we still going to dinner? I totally understand if you're too tired."

"No, I couldn't let you get all dressed up for nothing. Let me go clean up and then we can leave."

"Alright."

He went back to our room to take a shower and I sat down on the couch to wait, turning on the TV and pulling out my phone. I texted Wanda and PIietro, asking how they were, and scrolled through Twitter with TV on for background noise. I wasn't paying attention until the words _Breaking News!_ flashed across the screen. In my experience, that phrase was never a good thing.

"Good evening, everyone." The newscaster said. "Tonight we must interrupt the normally scheduled program to talk about an incident involving the terrorist group "Aracher" and the football stadium in Michigan and others stadiums across the country. In each of these places, bombs were set and have exploded, injuring and killing nearby civilians. In a note to the American government moments after the explosion of the bombs, the terrorists said, quote 'This attack is only the beginning of many. America is a sick and fallen country that must be purged from the world one person at a time. Tonight, we declare a war on your country and the Europeans who pollute the other side of the sea. We will show no mercy.' End quote. Now, Reporter Bob Gangis is on the scene in Michigan. Bob? What can you tell us?"

"Well, Laura," The man said, his image popping onto the screen. "It's utter chaos out here. People are screaming and running around, and I've seen the paramedics rolling away many covered bodies. It's not confirmed, but there's rumor that a couple of the terrorists are holding both teams hostage and shooting one of the members hourly. Besides that, we have no details that are concrete. Those should be coming in an hour or two, depending on how long it takes the police to regain control of the situation." Behind him, a woman with blood dripping down her face ran past, and the news quickly cut back to Laura.

They continued talking about the attack, giving new details and updates, but I stopped paying attention again. It was horrible to think all these Americans were dying with no one to fight back. Almost worse was the thought of what I knew was coming next: war. This war would probably be the biggest since WW2, considering how great the numbers of the terrorists were and how many countries quietly supported them. Besides that, they also had a lot of support in Mexico, which was a little too close to home for my comfort.

Steve entered the room, wearing a nice suit but his hair still wet from showering, and all I could do was point to the screen. He sat down next to me and watched the reporter talk about the attacks, his expression growing sadder and more serious the longer we watched.

"Out of one war and straight into another." He commented with a shake of his head.

I patted his arm consolingly. "Hopefully this one will end the same way the last one did."

Despite, or maybe because of, the tragedy in our country, Steve and I went out to our dinner like normal. I think we both knew that after this, everything would be different. After such tragedies, a country never does quite go back to being the same. That night, under the stars on the terrace of a fancy restaurant, Steve proposed properly. He got down on one knee and everything, giving a short speech about how he loved me. I told him it was unnecessary, since we were already engaged, but he said it wouldn't have been right to rob me of a real proposal. Maybe it seemed a little fast, after only a couple months of dating, but I knew that in 1940's culture dating went a lot faster. I accepted, of course, and the night turned out to be the most bittersweet one in a while. It marked a new chapter in my life as well as in the country.

The next day, the president declared war on the terrorists who attacked us, which included the countries that supported them. Europe allied with us, and the whole thing blew up into worldwide proportions. Steve and the rest of the Avengers planned to deal with the alien elements of the enemy, attacking wherever had Erythmen tech and the normal army couldn't beat.

Even though I hated the idea that people were killing each other, Steve convinced me to help the war effort by inventing and creating things. I refused to create weapons, like my father had once before, but I did try to make things to protect our own men. Together with Tony, who I was tentative friends with again, we created body armors and mini generators and heated vests for cold combat and all sorts of stuff. Meanwhile, Steve and the rest of the Avengers went out on missions and tried to steal the erythmen. Some predicted the war to end quickly, but Steve and I doubted that, and we soon found out we were right.

A year passed and the fighting raged on. Men died, women died, battles were won, battles were lost, time went in endless circles. Honestly, I was pretty removed from it, stuck in my little lab inventing with Tony, and occasionally Wanda.

"Could you pass me a hammer?" I asked Wanda absentmindedly, reaching out my hand to her.

Without a word, she handed it to me. Since she wasn't particularly sceincy, Wanda pretty much just handed the rest of us stuff and did odd, detail oriented jobs. She was mostly just there to get away and clear her mind of the fighting.

. "Have you fixed that?" Tony asked me, pointing to the object on the table I was tampering with. It was supposed to be an emergency cooling source for fighting in the desert, but the technology wasn't working like I wanted it to.

"Yeah." I said sarcastically. "I just asked for the hammer because I wanted to lick it."

"Well, I wouldn't put it past you." Tony retorted.

I rolled my eyes and went back to work, becoming engrossed with my project. All I wanted was to make my device work, but it kept fucking failing. After a fifteenth try, I slammed my tools on the table, expressing my frustration. Wanda and Tony both said nothing. Tony understood how I felt and Wanda knew to just let me be angry when I had outbursts like that.

Or that's what I thought until I looked up and noticed that she was gone. "Where's Wanda?" I asked the room.

"She went to the store to pick up some things." Tony said a little too smoothly. I knew something was up.

I rose an eyebrow, not believing him. There was something going on, and I had to figure out what. "What kind of things?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Oh you know Wanda, cigarettes and dildos."

"Ha. Ha. But really, where is she? What are you hiding?"

"Why would you think I'm hiding something?" Tony turned back to whatever he was working on, showing he wasn't paying full attention to our conversation anymore. "By the way," He said, changing the subject. "Capsicle and the rest of us have to go on a mission and it could take a week or two. We leave tomorrow, so count on me not being in the lab for a while."

My heart sunk, knowing what tomorrow wass. "Steve is going with you? Tomorrow?"

"That is what I said isn't it, Stark 2?"

"Why the hell would you call me that?"

"Would you prefer I call you Marianna?"

"Eh. No. I'd prefer you called me Nika, like always. I don't need a nickname."

"Why is that your name, anyways? What was your mother thinking?"

I shrugged. "She was pulling on the family's Greek origin, which doesn't make sense since the past two generations of her family all lived in Mexico."I didn't really want to talk about my mother, so I quickly changed the subject. "So where are you guys going on such short notice?"

"Intelligence found something big: where they keep the Erythmen. It's heavily guarded, but if we get inside then this war could be over."

"Aren't you more or less retired from hero work? Why are you going?"

"Usually. But when the world needs my help, how could I refuse its call?"

I snorted. "Yeah, like it needs you."

"It does."

"You have such a big ego."

"Like father like daughter."

"Oh fuck you."

"Maybe someone will later."

I groaned. "Please God no. I don't want to think about that."

Tony glanced at the clock, which read '6:30'. "Well, I have to get going so I'll be ready for tomorrow."

I nodded. "Good luck. Keep Steve safe for me."

"I'll try. You know how helpless he is." He told me sarcastically. Tossing his tools in a box, he grabbed his coat and left. It took me maybe ten minutes before I cursed loudly, realizing what Tony had done. He had perfectly evaded my original question about where Wanda was, and I totally fell for it.

Muttering to myself about how stupid I was, I headed to my car and got in, thinking to myself. As I drove home, my phone buzzed with a text. I opened it at a red light and read " _When do you think you'll be home?"_ from Steve. Suddenly, I knew exactly what was going on. I laughed aloud; why hadn't I seen it before? They hadn't forgotten my birthday; they were planning a surprise party. That's why Steve wanted to know when I would get home and why Tony acted so fishy.

" _Maybe twenty minutes_." I lied, wanting to catch them off guard. No one was going to surprise me- I was too smart for that.

I reached the parking lot in five minutes and gave the car an affectionate pat before heading inside. I took the stairs, all six flights, because I wanted to be nice and give them more time.

I finally reached my apartment and wasted no time before flinging open the door and hanging up my purse and shoes as if nothing was going on. "Hey guys." I said nonchalantly."What's up?"

They all jumped up, having been too busy talking to notice me enter.

"Surprise!" Pietro yelled. The others quietly mumbled it too. They knew they'd been thwarted, and it filled me with glee.

"Ha!" I said to Tony, who stood in the center of it all. "You tried to surprise me, yet this your fourth attempt has failed.

"Damn it." He muttered under his breath. "I obviously meant for you to find out this time, so you wouldn't expect it next time."

For the past year, we'd had a running joke about surprises and surprise parties. Maybe it was because we were both incredibly perceptive and brilliant or maybe it was just how determined we were not to lose, but either way neither of us were able to successfully surprise the other. One of us always found out before it happened, which was irritating when it happened to me but great when it happened to him, like now.

"Nice try." I told him.

"Whatever." He replied back childishly.

"Anyways," Wanda said, drawing my eyes to where she stood on the edge of the room. "Whether it's a surprise or not: happy birthday!"

I smiled at her, "Thanks!"

Somehow, that broke the ice and the Avengers and my friends mingled among themselves, each coming up to tell me happy birthday. Despite the war, or maybe because of it, the others were in surprisingly good spirits. Over the past year, I'd come to know them all super well, even the ones like Vision who I originally disliked. The only thing missing from the party was Nat, who had finally decided to go down to the Galapagos Islands to visit Bruce. Wanda and I were both super glad she went, since they both deserved a happy ending.

"Happy Birthday, Ms. Marianna." Vision said, coming up and shaking my hand. I chuckled at his usual formality.

"Thank you, Mr. Vision." I said mockingly. Maybe saying I'd come to like him was a bit of an exaggeration, but I tried for Wanda's sake. I knew how much she cared for him. "How have you been? I don't see you around often. You never drop by the lab."

He cocked his head slightly. "It would be impractical for me to do so, given that I don't invent things, but I will alter my schedule for an occasional visit if you like."

"I don't think that's necessary." I said hastily.

"Nika!" Wanda said, walking up and thankfully ending the awkward conversation. She hugged me loosely, still not one for much physical contact, and smiled at me. "Strange to think you were a teenager when we met and now you're a full adult."

"I know. The time has passed so fast."

She pulled away and stood beside Vision. "So, did Tony tell you about our mission?"

I nodded, my smile fading a little. "Yes. It will be strange with all of you gone. I'll be so worried."

"We can care for ourselves." She told me gently. "But this party was Tony's attempt at an apology, I think, though he'd never apologize out loud."

I rose an eyebrow, impressed. "He planned this by himself? No help from Pepper?"

"No. Pepper planned ninety percent of it, but it was Tony's idea."

I laughed. "I should've known. Ten percent seems a little generous, though, knowing him."

"Oh, the ten percent isn't for him. It's for Steve. He helped a lot too."

"Did he?" I smiled, touched. I glanced towards him, standing by the window talking to Barton. "Excuse me." I said to my little group, leaving to go talk to him.

"When will Fury be able to send in reinforcements?" Steve asked Clint.

"Maybe ten minutes after we get there. We want to be able to keep the element of surprise."

"Of course, I just think that-"

"Hello." I said, injecting myself into their conversation.

"Hey Nika. Happy birthday." Clint told me. I was getting a little sick of hearing that.

"Thanks. Can I talk to Steve alone?"

He glanced at Steve. "We can talk about this tomorrow."

Steve nodded, then turned to me. I rose on my toes and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for helping with this." I said. "It's really sweet of you. I didn't think you remembered it was my birthday tomorrow."

"Of course I did." He said, seeming offended. "And I'm glad you like it. I know it isn't much, but I wanted to do something since I won't be here for your actual birthday. I'm really sorry about that."

I sighed sadly. "I can't pretend I'm not disappointed." He frowned. "But I understand. Saving the world is a little more important than my birthday, I get it. Just promise me you'll try to say safe."

"I can never promise that. I have to do what's right for the country, whether it's dangerous or not."

"Why do you always have to be so damn patriotic?" I complained playfully, burying my head in his chest. There surrounded by his scent and warmth, it suddenly just really upset me he was leaving. Tears filled my eyes and spilled over onto Steve's shirt. He pulled me away gently, gripping my shoulders and looking concerned.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

I shook my head, wiping a tear from my eye and trying to stop crying. "I just really don't want you to go."

"I've been on lots of missions, this one's no different."

"I know." I sniffled. "I don't know why I'm crying. I just can't stop."

"Oh good job Steve, you made her cry at her birthday party." Bucky's voice said from behind me. I hastily wiped my face, trying to hide the traces of crying, but I knew he'd seen.

"Can't you just let us alone?" Steve asked, rolling his eyes.

"I wouldn't leave a poor dame to fend for herself against a boar like you." He said, playfully stepping between us.

I laughed slightly, but I still felt bummed, which was odd. Usually, Bucky and I's banter could cheer me up right away. "Thanks, Bucky. You're my hero." I said, halfheartedly sarcastic.

He frowned, noticing I was still upset. "You really are upset, aren't you? Are you two fighting or something?"

I shook my head. "No, it's not like that." Steve and I didn't usually fight, but when we did it was usually something stupid. "I'm just…upset."

"Well we can't have that. How can I cheer you up?"

I shrugged. "Just give me a minute and I'll be fine…and some alcohol would be nice. Did anyone bring some?"

He laughed. "I knew you'd ask for that. And, of course, Tony brought some."

"Then go get it for me."

"What am I? Your personal servant?"

I crossed my arms playfully. "Five minutes ago you were being a gentleman and now you're an asshole?"

"I figured I should try something I'm good at."

"Just go get me something to drink." I shooed him away, chuckling.

"I just wanted to make you laugh. I succeeded." He said, sounding proud of himself.

"Shoo!" I told him, rolled my eyes. "Your assholeness is annoying me."

He bowed jokingly and left, leaving me to Steve. I still felt down for whatever reason, but Bucky had improved my mood from tears. "So when are you leaving tomorrow?"

"Mexico isn't a short trip on plane, and we're under threat of possible attack from this base later in the week, so we'll leave early. Maybe five am."

I groaned. "Ugh. That's so early; I wanted to get up to see you off, but I'll probably be out cold. Wake me up before you go."

"If I wake you up, you'll try to kill me."

"Usually, yes. But this once I think I can take it."

"Is something wrong?" Steve asked, gently grabbing my shoulder. "I've left on more dangerous missions than this and you didn't get this upset."

"I was upset then, but I just didn't show it outwardly." I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Maybe it's just because I've been so tired lately that I'm so moody."

"You should get more sleep; you stay up too late."

"Okay mom." I told him with a snort. The truth was, I did stay up too late, often working until two A.M. and sleeping to six A.M., but it usually didn't affect me much. I'd always been a bit of an insomniac, and I'd thought my body was used to it. Apparently not.

Bucky returned with my drink, and I downed it, glad when the world became pleasantly blurred at the edges. I went to go talk to Wanda and Pietro while Steve returned to his conversation with Clint, which kind of annoyed me. I wished he could stop thinking about missions and war for at least five minutes, on my birthday, but that was just how he was hardwired. I could no more separate him from his army stuff than he could separate me from my lab.

The night drew on and slowly the rest of the Avengers left. I told each of them goodbye, feeling sad it was over so soon. Thanks to the alcohol, I was not only in a bad mood but in an alcohol induced bad mood. Now that everyone was gone, I just wanted to curl up in bed, watch sad music videos, and cry.

Steve had other plans, which turned out to be better. From under the kitchen counter, he pulled out my birthday gift and I oohed. Inside of a frame, Steve had drawn me a beautiful sketch of me and mother from a picture I'd thought I'd lost. Though not many people knew, he was pretty talented at sketching. I told him if he hadn't been a soldier and super hero, he should've been an illustrator.

I grabbed the picture, admiring the details and remembering bittersweet memories. My eyes teared up. "This is beautiful, Steve. Thank you." I told him, wiping my eyes. My mother and I had a complicated relationship, but I still wanted to remember her. I'd treated her too poorly in life to treat her like shit in death.

"I'm glad you like it." Steve told me, a small smile on his lips at my happiness. I put down the frame and hugged him tightly.

"You have such great taste in gifts. Can I put this up on the wall in the living room?"

"If you want to. You're the one who decorates the apartment."

"Actually, that's more Wanda and Pepper. If it were me, things would be a lot more hectic. You'd get annoyed at me."

"I'd never get annoyed at you for something like that." He told me earnestly.

I laughed through the sniffling from my tears. "We've fought for less."

I went into the closet and pulled out a hammer and some nails, directing Steve to position the painting so I could hang it up. I hammered it into the wall, quietly so none of the neighbors would get annoyed, and admired my handiwork.

Steve heated us up a delayed dinner, and we ate on our balcony, talking about everything and nothing. We lapsed into a comfortable silence, each looking at the sky and thinking. I leaned against his shoulder, glad for the warmth he resonated in the chilly night. It lulled me to sleep, and I closed my eyes, dozing. Hours or minutes later, Steve gently shook my shoulder. I blinked wearily, fuzzy trying to get my bearings.

"You need to get to bed. You've been so tired lately." Steve told me gently.

I yawned. "What time is it?"

"1 am."

"Then you should sleep too. You're the one who has to get up at five."

"We both know that I don't need as much sleep as a normal human; I'll be fine."

"Stupid perks of being a superhero." I muttered. I leaned back against his shoulder, but he gently shrugged me away.

"Go inside. You'll freeze out here."  
"Don't order me around. I'm not a soldier and I can take care of myself." I complained. Nonetheless, I rose, stretched, and went back inside.

I changed into comfy clothes and washed off my face before collapsing on the bed. Though I didn't want to admit it, he was probably right that I needed to sleep- I was exhausted. I didn't even have the energy to go say goodnight to Steve. I'll just see him in the morning before he leaves, I rationalized.

I turned out the light and slipped beneath the covers, falling into an uneasy sleep. When Steve finally joined me half an hour later, I subconsciously calmed down and sunk into a deep sleep.


	19. Chapter 19: She's the Stark Chick

A/N: Hello! Hope ya'll are having a lovely day! Thank you for the reviews and the favorites. Probably by next week the whole thing will be finished (which is so exciting). Please keep reviewing and tell me what you think! Disclaimer: same old same old

That morning, I woke bright and early at four thirty. Groaning, I pulled myself from bed and took a quick shower, trying to be quiet so I didn't wake up Steve. Once I finished, I pulled my hair into a semi-presentable messy bun and put on a sweater and jeans.

"Why are you up so early?" Steve asked groggily, having just woken up.

"I told you I'd see you off, didn't I?"

"I didn't think you'd actually do it."

"You should have more faith in me." I told him with a weary laugh. Four hours of sleep definitely hadn't done me much good.

While Steve got ready to leave for his mission, I fixed breakfast. I sautéed an egg, thinking about the party the night before. Now, Steve leaving didn't seem like such a big deal. I mean, of course I'd worry, but he went on missions all the time. Really, I was on my own fifty percent of the time, thanks to the war. I didn't understand why I'd gotten so upset, but I supposed it was just typical me being overdramatic. Or I'd been drunk. That was always a possibility; sometimes I forgot that I'd been drinking, and Tony and I always kept a stash of alcohol in the lab.

"Good morning." Steve said, entering the kitchen and kissing me on the forehead. He'd always been a morning person, even at five am, and I envied it.

"Hey." I said. I dropped omelets on plates for us and set it on the table next to the cups of coffee I'd brewed.

"You didn't have to make breakfast. It's enough that you woke up."

"It's no trouble."

Steve hastily ate breakfast and I wished him luck on his mission before he hurried out. Even with the coffee, I was still tired, so I went back to bed. It felt so empty without him that I never slept as well with him gone. Yet, I was so tired that I drifted off easily.

I woke up in the late hours of the afternoon, feeling totally disoriented. I sat up, rubbing my eyes and stretching. A sick feeling suddenly invaded my stomach, and I bolted into the bathroom to throw up.

Once the remnants of breakfast were gone, I collapsed on the floor, trying to catch my breath. I tried to understand what had just happened. Was I sick? Hungover? It was probably the latter and I just didn't feel the headache yet. I certainly had drunk a lot of alcohol the night before.

I brushed my teeth to get rid of the taste of vomit and decided to just make lunch like foods since that's what time it felt like and I was starving. After sticking some bread in the toaster, I went back to my room to grab my phone. All the happy birthday wishes made me smile, even the ones from people I didn't know. It was nice to know people actually cared about me, especially since it was such a special birthday. I was finally twenty one, and legally allowed to drink alcohol, which I'd been doing for years.

Sticking some cheese on the bread, I sat down on our terrace and ate the food while scrolling my phone. The world was loud, commenting on the war and the growing death count it brought.

"Such a war hasn't been seen since World War Two times, and the ferocity of the fighting marvels barbaric wars of man's distant past." One reporter commented. "The weaponry of the terrorist eclipses the power of even the most advanced firepower of American and European troops. Which raises the question: where did this tech come from? Conspirators believe Stark Industries, run by CEO Pepper Potts, is involved with the inventions of these products, but to many this seems unlikely after the company's halt in weapons production. Others hypothesize that the creator of the weapons is the daughter of the famous billionare Tony Stark, Nika Stark-" I glared at the screen, annoyed that she said my name wrong. For heaven's sake, my last name wasn't Stark! "These allegations have been tossed at the famous celebrity's child ever since she began work in an undisclosed weapons lab, but no comments have been made by Ms. Stark at this time. Reporting from New York City, Amanda Kline. Now let's go back at Jack in the studio. Jack-"

I shut off the broadcast, frustrated by her words. I hadn't even heard of the accusation against me, but it was plainly false. My work was creating things to help people, not creating weapons for the enemy. They were insane; I didn't even believe in creating weapons for my own team, nonetheless the terrorists. Some people just needed to get a life, and I needed to ignore them.

Since the sun was setting, I decided to go out and get a drink or two. After grabbing my purse, I headed out the door and walked down the street. Perhaps it was reckless to walk down the streets of New York alone at night, but I didn't really put much thought into it. I just wanted to forget everything. Though I wouldn't tell anyone, the allegation that I was helping the terrorists really hurt me. It brought back terrible memories of the man I'd killed and of the time I'd been kidnapped and the Erythmen attacked me.

I entered a small bar down the street from my apartment that I commonly went to for drinks and plopped down in a seat. Around me in the dinky bar, a few drunk people swayed to the indie music blasting through the speakers. Normally, I'd go interact with them, but now I just wasn't in the mood.

"Long day?" The bartender asked me, setting down a glass of whiskey for me, my usual.

"Not really. I slept through it, but I'm just really tired." I didn't realize how strange that sounded until after I said it, but it was true. I was still super tired.

"I'll leave you to your exhaustion, then." He told me, glancing up at the customers who'd just entered the bar. "Tell me if you need anything."

"Thanks." I told him halfheartedly, cringing as I took a sip of my drink.

I expected not to be bothered, but I didn't get that lucky. The three men who'd entered the bar laughed gregariously and I turned to glance at them. Their eyes widened when they saw me, and then they collectively moved to stand around me. I groaned inwardly.

"Hey bitch." The man on my left said with a clear southern accent. Although he'd just entered the bar, he already sounded drunk.

"Go away." I muttered, so not in the mood for this.

"Aw don't be that way, babe."

"I'm not your babe."

"Hey, does she look familiar to you guys?" The guy behind me asked, sounding just as drunk.

"Hmm." Guy on left piped in. "Yeah she kinda does. Have we met before?"

"You're both idiots." The guy on the right said. He sounded too exasperated to be drunk like his friends. He was probably the designated driver or something. "Can't you see? She's the Stark bitch."

"Oh yeah." Said behind me guy. His expression changed from flirtatious to angry. "She's the one who's been making weapons for the damn terrorists. Bitch, why you trying to get us killed?"

"She's a traitor, this one." Leftie said.

"No I'm not!" I snapped. I hadn't watched the news enough lately, so I had a feeling the lie I worked for the terrorists was bigger than I thought originally. "I don't make weapons, and not only that but I wouldn't help my enemies. I'm as loyal to country as anybody." And probably more, I thought, since I'm engaged to the symbol of America.

"That's bullshit." Rightie said. "Why should we believe you?"

"The burden of proof is on you, not me." I retorted, taking a final swig of my drink. I slammed it down on the bar and tried to stand up, but leftie put his arm on my shoulder.

"We can't let you go." He slurred. "You a bad bitch."

"Let go of me!" I tried to shake him off, but he was strong and I couldn't free myself. Without a second thought, I raised my fist and punched him in the face with all my might.

He reeled back, but now I had the other two to deal with.

"Don't hit my friend!" Guy behind me slurred, swinging a punch at my face. I didn't duck in time, and the blow reverberated through my skull. I fell back, knocking my head against the side of the bar. Momentarily disoriented, I didn't resist when the not drunk dude pulled me to my feet with a hand tight on my arm.

He opened his mouth to say something, but suddenly gaped like a fish and passed out on the ground. I blinked a few times, trying to figure out what happened, and my eyes finally focused on the guy who'd knocked out my assailants.

"Sam?"

Sam kicked the guy who'd punched me in the stomach and knocked him to the floor."Nice to see you Nika."

I sat back down in the chair, rubbing my sore head. "Not to sound ungrateful or anything, but what are you doing here?" I knew he hadn't gone with the Avengers because of an injury to his leg which was still healing, but that didn't explain why he was at my bar.

He shrugged. "Steve wanted me to check on you, and I knew if you weren't at home you'd be here."

"I'm a big girl, you know. I don't need a babysitter."

"You have to admit, you do make some pretty dumb decisions." He told me, with a laugh. "Such as fighting three guys that are bigger than you."

I glanced at the guys on the ground, two of which were unconscious and one was crouched over in pain. "I didn't initiate the fight." I knew he was just teasing me, but I wasn't in the mood to be teased. "They did. They think I'm making weapons."

"Ah, you just found out."

We both walked out of the bar before the other guys woke up. Despite having taken them down once, Sam wasn't healed enough to beat them again and my head pounded, so I was useless. "Yes. Why didn't the rest of you tell me? It actually seems somewhat serious, despite how stupid it is."

"We doubted it would go anywhere, and Steve knew it'd upset you." Sam said breathlessly, struggling to limp at the same speed as my angry pace. I tried to slow and calm down.

"Well he should've told me; I don't need to be babied."

"Good because I don't have the time to take care of a baby. I'm busy, you know, saving the world and stuff."

We walked the rest of the way back to my apartment in silence, me brooding over the men's words as well as Steve not having told me. He knew I hated to not know something.

"You know," Sam said when we were at the door to the building. "It's usually customary to say 'thank you' when someone helps you."

"Yeah….thank you." I sounded insincere, but I really was grateful. Not that I couldn't have handled a bunch of thugs on my own, but I was glad I hadn't had to put in the effort for that. And it was nice to know someone was there for me, even when I didn't ask for it. I tried to smile.

"Don't mention it." He smiled back, though his was genuine. "You know, it's going to be a quiet week without the others here."

"Yeah." I knew he was probably trying to start a conversation, but for once I just wanted to be alone. "Well, it's getting late and I'm tired so see you tomorrow! Maybe we can talk then, if your leg can keep up." It felt nice to joke.

"Hey, I just saved your sorry ass with a broken leg, if anything you can't keep up."

I rolled my eyes. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

I entered my building and left him behind, letting out a sigh of relief. I was glad to be alone again, like I'd wanted to be at the bar. Now I'd just have to drink alone at my apartment, which was really lame.

Once I got to my apartment, I pulled the bottle of vodka from the cabinet and poured myself a whole glass, not bothering with shots. I'd just choked down a swig when my phone started to buzz. I opened it, seeing an incoming facetime call from Steve. I opened it without second thought, then instantly regretted it.

I looked like crap and blood drained from my nose where I'd been punched in the face. Besides that, the bags under my eyes were far more prominent in the facetime camera. I tried to duck out of the screen so I could at least fix the blood, but Steve had already seen.

"Nika?" He asked, he voice filled with concern. "What happened? Are you ok?"

I tried to wipe the dried blood away with my sleeve. "Yeah I'm fine. Some asshole just hit me at a bar."

His eyebrows furrowed with anger. "Who hit you?"

"I don't know and I don't care. They aren't worth it." I took a drink from my glass before staring Steve down, having remembered I was angry at him. "What does matter is that you kept the truth from me."

"I did?" He sounded genuinely surprised and hurt. "About what?"

"You didn't tell me what people were saying about me."

"I knew it would upset you."

"It does, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't tell me." I snapped.

"I'm sorry, I didn't do it to upset you."

"I know," I sighed, unable to stay mad at him for long. "Just please tell me next time; you know I hate secrets. So, how big is this thing anyway?"

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. I had a feeling he wished he could lie. "Pretty big. The government is actually calling for an investigation of you."

"What?" My eyes bugged.

"But I won't let that happen. I know you're innocent, and they have no proof."

"Thanks." I tried to take comfort in his words, but I couldn't see how him believing me helped my case legally. Worry knocked my stomach, which was already an unstable thing, so I decided to change the subject before I got nauseous. "How's your mission going?"

"We haven't done anything and don't plan to take action for a few more days. Until then, we're just getting recon and sitting around. The security around the Erthymen is pretty thick, obviously, but Tony has some ideas to bypass the computer component of it."

"Did someone say my name?" Tony came onto the screen with a cup of coffee in one hand and a phone in the other.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, we were talking about how much you annoy us."

"Aw, you wish. You were probably just fangirling over how much you like me."

"You have plenty of fans, but I am not one of them."

"I am. I'm a big fan of myself."

"I know, narcissist."

"Don't act like you don't love yourself too."

"That's okay because I'm fabulous."

"In your delusional mind."

I stuck out my tongue at him. "Whatever."

Steve shook his head, chuckling. "Why is it that whenever you two talk, you should like a couple of toddlers fighting over a toy?"

"I think Tony's just a permanent child and I can't help but sink to my parent's, who's supposed to be a role model, level."

"Har. Har." Tony took a sip of his coffee, then squinted at me. "What happened to your face? Did you touch my stuff?"

"No I didn't touch your stuff…" It took me a second to realize what that comment implied. "Hey! Did you put security on it?"

"Maybe." He said remorselessly.

"You're unbelievable." Shaking my head, I took a sip from my bottle. "But anyways, I just got hit in a fight."

"Someone hit you?" Tony tried to mask it with indifference, but I could hear the sudden anger in his voice."

"Well I didn't hit myself."

"Who was it?"

"Some bum in a bar. Whoever it was, it doesn't matter. I won't see them again."

Across the room, someone called Tony's name and he left. Steve and I were alone again. "I'm sorry," Steve said, smiling apologetically, "But I really should go."

"That's fine. I love you; see you when you get back."

"I love you too. Take care of yourself!" He shut off the facetime.

I took another sip of my drink and plopped down on the couch. Curled up against the armrest, I was too uncomfortable to fall asleep but too tired to get up. I stared at the dark wall, drinking and thinking. Soon, my thoughts ran together and I rolled on the floor and fell asleep.

The ringing of my phone woke me up hours later. I groggily accepted the call.

"Nika? How are you? I just got back from a recon mission, so I'm free to talk. Sorry I couldn't call and wish you a happy birthday yesterday."

"Hey." I graoned, dragging myself back onto the couch. The abrupt movement irritated the contents of my stomach, and I bolted to the bathroom and threw up. Once I finished, I rested on the floor for a few minutes before finally going back to talk to Wanda. I usually didn't throw up when I was hungover, but I knew that was what this was.

"Nika? Nika? Hello?" Wanda was asking when I returned.

"Hey, sorry, I just woke up and I was brushing my teeth."

"Sleeping? It's eleven o'clock."

I brushed a hand through my disheveled hair. "I know… I was tired."

"Maybe you shouldn't be out working at night then. That probably is why you are tired."

"I…what?" I often worked late, but not in the middle of the night.

"And where are you working anyway, if not at the lab?" She continued, not noticing my protest.

I was so confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Last TuesdayI came to your apartment to see if you were alive since you didn't come to the lab. When I got inside, all the lights were off like you were sleeping, but you were nowhere to be found. Where were you?"

I rubbed my eyes, feeling this was all too much for having just woken up. "I didn't go anywhere Tuesday afternoon. I was asleep in the bedroom. Did you check there?"

"That was the first place I looked since I thought you were napping."

"I don't know what you're talking about then."

There was silence on the line for a few seconds."You're serious?"

"Dead serious. I remember Tuesday, and I just took a really long nap that day while Steve was on a mission."

"Then how were you gone?"

"I wasn't."

Silence reigned again. At first, I thought it was all a joke, but Wanda seemed too serious for that. I lay down on the couch, too tired to sit up but my mind whirling. In my sleepy state, I just couldn't figure out what it all meant.

"So, if you saw me gone but I don't remember leaving, what happened?" I asked, voicing my thoughts.

"I don't know." Wanda said, brushing her bangs behind her ear. "Either I was mistaken, unlikely, or something strange is going on. And I endeavor to find out what it is."

"Well, so do I. I won't be able to sleep until I figure it out."

"No, that's the opposite of what we need."

"Then what do we need?"

"You to sleep."

By then, I'd already stood and tried to wake up, albeit I was still hungover. "I can't do that. I don't want to sleep walk or whatever I'm doing."

"But we won't know what you're doing until you sleep. And you wouldn't want to not know, would you?"

She had me there. I sighed. "I guess not. But I've 'slept' too much the past two days; I need to get out."

"Okay, I think it'd be better for you to sleep, but I know I can't make you." There wasn't much more to say, so she changed the subject. "What do you plan on doing this week while we're gone?"

I carried my phone with me to the kitchen and poured some coffee into a clean mug."I just want to relax, eat ice cream, and watch old Disney movies."

"Why?" She asked.

"I don't know. I guess I just miss Steve."

"He's been gone two days."

"I know, but it feels like forever." I held my mug in both hands, taking a deep sip.

Voices murmured in the background of the call, telling Wanda something. "I have to go. I'll talk to you later." She told me remorsefully before hanging up the call.

After I cleaned myself up considerably, I decided to leave the apartment and drive to Stark Tower to watch movies in the theater inside. It wasn't like I had anything better to do. Out front, reporters were waiting like little sharks when they smell a guppie. They ran towards me, snapping pictures and filming video. "Are you and Steve Rogers dating?" One asked. Several chimed in with other trivial questions, the sorts of things I'd gotten used to. Despite us being engaged, Steve still didn't want our relationship to go public in case some would use it to hurt him. I thought he was being too cautious, but I respected his wishes.

"What are your comments on your supposed connection to high tech weapons the terrorists possess?"One asshole reporter asked, shoving his mike in my face.

I'd ignored the other reporters, but this topic upset me too much to ignore. I snatched the mike from his hand, hearing the paparazzi murmur among themselves. "What's my comment? My comment is that it's totally false. I have nothing to do with the weapons the terrorists possess and if you think I do, you're an idiot."

I passed the mike back to the reporter and strode into the building without answering the new questions that were flying at me. When the adrenaline had briefly run through my veins, it'd been easy to speak, but now I was beginning to freak out. They were all staring at me and I hated to be stared at.

I hurried into the building, locking the doors to the reporters and setting the security to not let them in.

I took the elevator to an upper floor where the window were tinted to give it a movie atmosphere, but you could still see out of them. I gazed down at the New York streets, marveling for the millionth time how big it all was. I missed LA and its familiarity. Something in the corner of my vision caught my eye, and I looked up rather than at the street. Above the tower, storm clouds were gathering. "What the hell is that?" I muttered to myself.

A bolt of light shot down from the sky, blinding me. When the light finally dimmed, there was a tall blond man in medieval clothes standing on the suit-landing portion of the building. He strode towards the interior, and I bolted towards the stairs so I could greet him. I'd seen enough pictures to know who I was dealing with; Thor had just landed at the building.

"Friday, let Thor into the building." I told the AI as I went up the stairwell..

"Done, Miss Marianna." The feminine voice replied.

"Why is she the only one who gets my name right…" I muttered to myself.

Finally, I reached the top floor and went into the living room. Thor waited inside, his arms crossed as he gazed out the window. When I entered the room, he turned, a very serious expression on his face.

"Where are Steve Rogers and his companions?" He asked, striding towards me.

"On a mission. What do you need from them?" I tried to ignore his appearance, but I just couldn't get over the cape. I held back a laugh, knowing I was supposed to be serious. Besides, Steve's costume, er, uniform wasn't much better.

Thor squinted at me."Who are you?"

"I'm Nika Marianna."

"Do you know how I could contact the Avengers?"

"Yeah sure." I walked towards the TV and waved him over. "Friday." I said, calling the AI.

"Yes?" She responded.

"Call the quinjet and put the footage on the screen."

A telephone sound played as the phone rang and I waited for them to pick up. In reality, there was always the possibility they wouldn't, especially if they were already attacking the containment area for the Erythmen. That seemed unlikely after Steve and I's conversation the night before, but the Avengers were known for doing spontaneous things.

After five rings, someone on the other side picked up the phone and we could see the main room of the quinjet. Tony was standing there on the other side, and his eyebrows furrowed when he saw Thor. "What's Point Break doing there?"

"I have come here with new information. It's important."

Usually, Tony would've cracked some sort of joke, but by Thor's tone he could probably tell how serious this was. "I'll get the rest of the team." He told Thor. He turned to leave, but his glance landed on me. "What are you doing in my tower?"

"I was just going to watch a movie. Then blondie here showed up."

"Well, don't break anything. And stay away from my drinks!"

I rolled my eyes. "Don't tell me what to do."

He sighed dramatically and left the frame, going to gather the others.

"So, Lady Nika, you are friends with the man of Iron?"

"Friends, the child of, same thing really."

Thor's brow furrowed. "I did not know he was married."

"Tony's not." I told him simply, plopping down on the couch. In such a weird society as Thor's, I wondered what they thought of bastard children. Probably not the same as modern America.

Thor was about to respond, but the other Avengers came into the monitor. "What's going on?" Steve asked. I was glad to hear his voice and see his face.

"On the matter of the dark lord gathering forces against us, the time of his attack seems to be drawing near."

"Jane's research said much the same." Steve said. "She said something about the stars getting closer and believing he was nearing this realm. Her estimate was two years."

"Lady Jane's calculations are admirable but off by a year-"

"A year? Do you mean we only have a year until an extraterrestrial war?" I blurted, cutting him off. No one had informed me of this, which was irritating.

"Yes. Which is why I came to warn you. You must stop this war among earthlings and unite the world if you are to stand a chance against the Dark Lord. Asgard can only help so much."

"We're trying." Clint muttered. "But that's harder than it sounds."

"Yes, I was informed me that the opposing force against you holds a substance called Erthymen."

"What can you tell us about it?" Steve asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"We don't fully understandourselves, but we do know that the substance is incredibly powerful, more than you have anticipated."

"That's why we're getting rid of it." Tony said. "Then we won't have to worry about how powerful it may or may not be."

"It's not here?" Thor's eyebrows furrowed and he looked around as if searching for something.

"No. It's in a lab down here." Steve told him, sounding confused.

"But I can sense it here." Thor's eyes landed on me and then narrowed. A knot of fear formed in my stomach. He strode towards me and I slowly backed up, inwardly freaking out.

"What?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"You. I can sense it in you." He turned to the screen with a fierce expression. "Do you trust this woman?"

"Yes." Tony and Steve defended at the same time.

"Then how do you explain the Erthymen being within her?"

"I can speak for myself." My irritation was quickly overriding my fear. "I was exposed to it over a year ago, so you're probably sensing that. It's gone now, though, so I'm not a threat."

He stared at me hard and I stared back. "Uh, guys?" Tony said, tapping the screen to make an annoying screeching noise. I resisted the urge to cover my ears and turned to the tv.

"Yes?" I asked.

"What's going on?"

"I do not believe your daughter is safe. She may yet still be afflicted." Thor told him. I winced, finding it weird even now to be called his daughter. We really were just friends.

"What do you mean?" Steve stared the screen with concern etched in his features.

"Its presence taints her, like some sort of cloud."

I snorted. "That's not true. I got rid of it. Wanda was there, she could testify to it, right Wanda?" Whether I was trying to convince Thor or myself, I really wasn't sure.

Wanda pushed to the front of the crowd gathered on the other side of the screen. "I mean, I saw you nearly die, but there was no proof it was gone. Your eyes just changed color so we assumed. Perhaps it was presumptuous…."

"Either way." Steve interjected. "It will all be fixed when we destroy the Erthymen. We could really use your help; can you come help, Thor?"

He nodded. "I came to warn you, but I will help as well if I can. But first I have some calls to make."

"Calls? You have a phone?" Tony asked, looking surprised.

Steve sighed. "I think he means calls as in meeting people."

"Oh that would make more sense."

"I must hasten to these meetings, but I will see you soon fair companions. Farewell." Thor nodded to the others then went back onto the terrace and swung his hammer, flying away.

After being around the other Avengers so long, I wasn't even surprised. "Well." I commented as I silence reigned on the comms. "He's a character."

"Like some sort of Shakespearean actor?" Tony offered.

I smirked. "Exactly like that. I either expected him to look to the left and recite a monologue or to ask me to duel."

"Avengers, there's something you need to see." A tech on the other side told them.

"Understood." Steve said. He moved to turn off the comms, giving me a concerned look before the screen went black.

I let out a heavy breath, running a hand through my hair. I hated that I didn't understand what was going on. I'd thought the Erthymen was gone, but now Thor said it was with me. What was that supposed to mean? I didn't know, yet it worried me.

The news disturbed me enough that I changed my mind and decided to go work in the lab rather than watch a movie. After grabbing a bottle of vodka, partially I spite Tony, I went downstairs and drove off in my car without a word to the press.

Despite the heavy congestion of people, I managed to break free of the paparazzi and drive off towards my lab. My emotions were swirling within me like a tornado about to touch ground, and I struggled to keep it together. I didn't like that the Erthymen was still inside me, so I wasn't in control. In moments like this, only three things could calm me down; Steve, Wanda, or a project. I only had one of those things, so I pushed my fear to the back of my mind and starting researching. I wanted to find out if Thor was right and the Erthymen was more than dormant in my genes, and finding that out would take a lot of time and study. I had my hands full, and I was glad.


	20. Chapter 20: I Can Handle Myself

**A/N: Happy Friday! Disclaimer: I wish I owned Marvel and it's characters, but I don't.**

For the next week, I spent ninety nine percent of my time in the lab. I ate there, I worked there, and I even tried to sleep there, but every time I woke I was still exhausted. As my episodes of nausea and sleepiness kept happening, I realized I must have some sort of virus. Normally, I would've spent my time trying to cure that, but now my only focus was finding out about the Erthymen.

In my lab, I was mostly alone, but Sam visited me on occasions. He stayed short periods of time, knowing I wasn't paying him any attention even if I seemed to be carrying a conversation. Every night, Steve would call and ask if I was alright, and I'd say yes as if I weren't going crazy. I missed him, but I knew his mission was more important, and I didn't want to make him feel guilty.

"When are you guys going to try and destroy the Erthymen?" I asked him on the phone, curled up in the corner of the lab with a pillow and a bottle of alcohol.

"We plan to attack tomorrow, and then this will all be over."

"Thank God. Home is lonely without you."

"Speaking of," Steve said, and I could hear his voice switching into a somewhat patronizing tone. "When was the last time you were at home? Same says you spend all your time at the lab."

I sighed, taking a sip from my bottle. "That's true. I'm so busy here that I don't have time to leave and go to the apartment."

"Nika, that's not healthy. You need to go home and sleep."

"I am sleeping! Just on the floor rather than in a bed."

"Exactly, and that's not quality sleep. You should go home."

That thought scared me since if I left, one of my tests could finish and I wouldn't be here to find out. Even after a whole week, I was no closer to finding the elusive active Erthymen in my body. "I'm fine. I sleep fine here."

"Just humor me then and go home for tonight." He pleaded.

I frowned at the wall. "Fine." I relented, not enthusiastic about the prospect.

"Thank you." On the other end of the line, I could hear someone talking to him. "Sorry, I have to go."

"So soon?" I asked, sounding more upset than I meant to be. The more I missed having him here, the more I wanted to at least hear his voice over the phone.

"Yes, sorry." He apologized again. "But I'll probably see you again in at least two days."

That brightened my spirits considerably. "I look forward to it. I love you."

"I love you too. Goodbye."

The line went dead and I was left alone in the dark. I didn't want to get up and go home, since I really was cozy, but I couldn't lie to Steve. I'd always been a good liar, but I never ever used that skill on Steve. He was too good to be in a relationship with an untrustworthy bitch, and I aspired to be good enough for him.

Groaning, I rose from my spot on the floor and left the building with the bottle clenched in one hand. Outside, reporters were waiting for me. "Nika Stark!" They screamed, then asking questions like 'do you have any more comments about your affiliation with the terrorists?' and 'where are the Avengers?'

I didn't have the patience to talk to them, so I tried to ignore it. When they blocked my car, though, that quickly became impossible. "Leave me the fuck alone and get the fuck out of my way." I snapped loudly, roughly pushing one aside. There were gasps of surprise from all the people around, but I ignored them again now that I could get in my car. I had enough problems in my life without them.

I blared the music in my car and revved the engine, making them scatter. Without a backwards glance, I drove off and back to my apartment.

By the time I got home, showered, and ate dinner, I had various texts from Wanda and even some of the Avengers.

" _You told the press to fuck off_?" Wanda texted

" _Something like that_." I replied.

" _And then you assaulted a reporter_?"

" _I wouldn't call it that. How do you even know about this_?"

" _It's on the news_."

I cursed under my breath, turning on my TV. Sure enough, there I was on the news, hitting a reporter.

" _You hit a reporter? Good job_!" Tony texted me, his phone managing to make his text the most important. I'd have to fix that later.

" _Thanks! Glad you approve_."

" _Next time you might not want to do it on TV though_."

" _Wow I never would've thought about that_."

" _Of course not. You've never been very smart_."

I rolled my eyes, deciding to ignore that text. Honestly, I was too tired to keep up with sarcasm or text anyone back. As per usual, I just wanted to sleep.

After placing my empty plate in the sink, I changed into a pair of norts and a tshirt before sinking into my bed. I fell asleep quickly, losing myself to much needed sleep.

When I awoke the next morning, I was just as tired as always. I groaned, rolling out of bed and onto the floor. I dragged myself to my feet and stretched, trying to wake up. I wished I would be able to do that without alcohol or coffee, but that didn't seem likely. When I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth, I noticed something unusual. When I went to bed, I'd been wearing a plain gray tshirt, but now I had on a blue tank top. I rubbed my head, wondering if my memory was off. But I usually was good at remembering stuff like this, and there was no doubt in my head.

"What the hell…" I muttered to myself, but my focus was diverted when the usual nausea overtook my stomach and I ran to the toilet.

I changed into regular clothes, ripped jeans and a thick navy sweater, before going through all my drawers in search of a gray tshirt. It was nowhere to be found. I moved on to the floor and every surface that I could have possibly left it. Perhaps losing a t-shirt didn't seem like too big a deal, but to me it was. I knew somehow it was linked to the answers I needed.

My phone buzzed loudly, and I grabbed it off the charger. " _We're going in now_." Steve texted me.

" _Good luck_!" I texted back, thinking little of it. If I let myself worry, I would drive myself crazy.

For the next thirty minutes, I searched the whole of my apartment, leaving no stone unturned. I nearly gave up, passing it off as nothing,

Suddenly, something strange came over me. I couldn't make my body move. In my head, I started to panic, but my body didn't react at all. Instead, like a puppet, it walked towards the door of the apartment and opened it. I tried to fight the movement, but I had no control at all. I couldn't even control my voice to scream.

My body took the elevator up to the roof and stepped out. The wind bit into my skin, making me wish I'd brought a jacket, but I couldn't so much as shiver. I was forced to walk to the edge and step onto the short barrier. My hand pulled my phone from my pocket, dialing Tony's number.

He picked up on the first ring from his suit. "Nika? Are you alright?"

"No." I heard someone on the other end say. "She's standing on the edge of the building. If you attack the Erthymen, she'll jump." His voice was emotionless, so I knew he was being controlled. Most likely in the same way I was controlled.

The call went from audio to audio and visual, giving Tony the ability to see my predicament. Somehow, I felt the control on my vocal cords lift so I could talk. "What's going on?" I asked Tony, my voice filled with fright. I knew deep down what this really was, but I didn't want to admit it.

"She is under its control." Thor informed them. I wished I could see his face, but I only saw Tony's. "It is what I warned you about."

"Leave here or she dies." The emotionless man repeated.

"We don't negotiate with terrorists." Tony said.

My foot stepped off the roof, making my stomach flip. I yelped, trying to pull it back, but failing.

"Uh…I would prefer if you didn't say stuff like that." I hissed at Tony.

"Time is ticking. You have five minutes to get out before she falls." The possessed voice warned them.

"Listen." I said, trying to steady my fear filled voice. "I'm not more important than destroying that thing. And maybe if you're fast enough it'll happen before I jump."

"We can't take that risk." Steve said, and I knew they'd all been linked into the comms.

"The Erthymen is more important than my life." I told them. I didn't really want to die, but I was prepared to do it for the greater good.

"There has to be some other solution." Wanda piped in.

"Just destroy the Goddamn Erthymen." I told them, though my voice caught when I swayed in the wind.

"Three minutes."

"You're going to be fine, Nika." Steve said, his voice firm. I wanted to believe him, but I didn't see the hope in this. The thought that I could stop it before I fell was a good deal of wishful thinking. Most likely, I'd be dead after this. "Fire."

"What?" Tony said in disbelief. "And kill Nika?"

"Just follow orders Stark, and trust me."

Despite obvious hesitation, I suddenly heard gunshots and I knew they were taking the Erthymen and the building down. I didn't have time to think anything after that because my feet stepped off the ledge and I was free falling through the air. The pounding that always accompanied a change in the Erthymen filled my head, and I faded out of consciousness. The last thing I felt was a pair of arms catching me in the air and wings flapping away.

Pain filled my every sense, a ripping pain like someone was chopping off my leg or my arm. I screamed, wishing I could escape the pain, but even in unconsciousness I still felt it. For the first time in the long time, I truly wanted to die. I was trapped in a prison of perpetual pain, and I needed it to end before I went mad.

What felt like an eternity later, the pain finally began to subside. I felt as if a crushing weight was lifted from my shoulders, and I was finally free. As my mind returned to consciousness, there was a tired smile on my face. I blinked open my eyes, taking in my environment.

I was in the top floor of the tower, lying on a couch facing a window over the city. Beside that window, Sam stood with his arms crossed over his chest and his wings folded up on his back. Memories of the fall and wings rushed through my head, and I slowly put together what happened. Before I fell, Steve probably patched Sam into the comms so he could come help me. Then, as I fell, Sam swooped in and helped me. He saved my life.

"Sam…" I croaked, trying to find my voice. "You saved me."

He turned around abruptly. "Nika! You're awake!"

"Yeah." I unsteadily sat up, rubbing my head. "Thanks for saving my life and stuff."

"Anytime." He walked over to my side, trying to push me back down. "You should rest; you've been through a lot in the past three hours."

"Three _hours_? That's how long I've been out?"

"Yeah, give or take a few minutes."

"What was I doing?"

"Screaming and convulsing. I wasn't sure you'd be ok…hey, your eyes are brown, have they always been like that?"

"They're brown?" I asked, desperately grabbing my phone from the table beside me. When I turned on the camera, he was right; my eyes were their old brown color again. "Thank God." I breathed out, sinking back down.

"Is that a good thing?"

"Yes. That means it's all over, all done. They've destroyed the Erthymen and I'm normal again."

"Were you abnormal before?"

"I think I've always been abnormal, but this abnormal was even more abnormal than the abnormal before."

"What?"

I laughed. "I don't know…It doesn't matter. All you need to know is that this is the most freeing moment in forever. I feel as if I could just never stop smiling."

"Well, while you do that, I have to call the team and tell them you're alright. Now that the Erthymen is gone, they're on their way back, but it could be a day or two to tie up loose ends."

Now that the immediate joy was fading, I could feel the familiar exhaustion. "You go do that."

"You don't want to talk to Steve and the others?"

"I do, but first I just want to take a nap."

"Rest up." He told me, before pulling out his phone and leaving me to sleep.

I barely needed five minutes before I was out cold.

In my much needed sleep, I dreamed a thousand weird, nice things. It didn't make any sense, but I'd forgotten how much fun dreaming was. I didn't know why I hadn't been dreaming before, but I supposed it was just the Erthymen influencing my sleep patterns.

The sun had long set from the sky and the night was in full swing by the time I woke up. I yawned, slowly sitting up on the couch. My back was sore from the hard cushions, but my body was refreshed like it hadn't been for months. I finally felt awake, which was unfortunate since it was the middle of the night.

On the coffee table, Sam left a short note saying he'd gone back to his apartment and to call if I needed him. He was probably fast asleep, so I decided not to bother him.

I walked into the kitchen and poured myself a much needed drink before plopping down on the couch and turning on the TV. There was some sort of riot going on, but I skipped past the news channel to ABC. The more I drank, the funnier the show became, and soon I was rolling on the floor laughing. My phone on the coffee table buzzed, and I got a hold of myself long enough to look at the text.

" _Are you alright_?" Steve texted. I could see this was the sixteenth text he'd sent that day, all saying much the same thing.

" _I'm fabulous_." I replied, giggling to myself.

" _I'm so sorry this happened to you. We should have seen it coming or been more careful_."

" _No, it's totally fine. It's over now, no need to regret the past_."

" _I could've never forgiven myself if you'd died because of my negligence_."

" _It wasn't your fault_." I comforted him. " _It was no one's fault. But it's all better now. All rainbows and unicorns here, yippee_."

" _Except that we still need to end this war_." He sent the text, then added. " _Are you drunk_?"

" _You mean more so than usual? Yes_."

" _Nika, we've talked about this. You really need to slow down on your drinking_."

" _Oh can the lecture. I just survived certain death; let me celebrate_."

" _I just worry about you_."

" _I'll be fine. I can handle myself. Just come home safely_."

" _I will. I have to go, see you soon."_

 _"Bye!"_

My phone went quiet, and I knew he was gone. I wished he were home more, but with the war it was understandable he had to be gone. Five years ago, I'd never expected to really love someone and be a wife, but now that was what was happening, and I was ecstatic. As foolish as it was, I could almost imagine a happily after for me and him. I could see a house and a white picket fence, kissing goodnight and going everywhere together. The only difference between a normal person's family dreams and mine was that I didn't want a family. Steve and I hadn't talked about kids, but I knew I didn't want them. I just wanted Steve, and besides I knew I'd be a horrible mother.

Alone in the dark, I felt incredibly bored, so I decided to go on a walk despite the hour. I finished the bottle and took off down the elevator, straightening my mussed clothes and hair. With phone in hand as a flashlight, I stepped out into the chilly night air. I scanned the area in front of me, trying to decide where I wanted to go on my walk. I decided to go to the bar down the street and stepped forward, but a clicking sound stopped me in my tracks.

"Put your hands up and freeze!" Someone told me in a low voice. I squinted at them, complying when I made out the gun pointing at my head.

Several other people shifted around me, forming a circle of guns pointed at me. "I put up my hands!" I complained, trying to keep from freaking out. "What the hell is going on?"

"You are under arrest." One man said, stepping forward. The light from my phone was bright enough to see his police uniform and the badge on his chest.

"For what?"

"Treason." The leader stated plainly. "Now, moving slowly, put your hands behind your back so I can handcuff you."

I stared at him, not sure whether to do it or not. I hadn't done anything wrong, so I didn't want to go to prison. Besides, prison was a horrible place, so even if I was a criminal I wouldn't want to go there. On the other hand, there were eight guns pointing at me, so I didn't really stand much of a chance.

I slowly moved my arms down, pausing when I suddenly remembered I did stand a chance. In the waistband of my pants, I always carried a small device I called 'sorpressa desagradable'. When dropped on the ground, it sent out an electric pulse that could make anyone within range either spazz out or pass out. All I had to do was jump so it didn't affect me.

I really didn't want to go to prison, so I discreetly moved one hand to my back and the over slowly to my waist. The officer took a step forward to handcuff me and I jerkily grabbed the device and flung it onto the ground. I leapt into the air, watching as a blue pulse burst across the ground around me. All the men aiming at me, including the main officer, fell to the ground twitching.

The effects of the shock only lasted a minute, so I booked it away from them to get a head start. I ran into the street and down it, running to gods knows where. It was a harebrained, poorly thought out plan, but it was too late to turn back now.

I turned the corner of the next street, ducking into an alley and hiding behind a trashcan. My heart was beating frantically in my chest, and I hoped no one could hear it.

Now that they'd regained their senses, I caught hear the footsteps of the police men running down the street.

"Did any of you see where she went?" One of them asked.

"No, but she can't have gotten far." Another replied.

"Check the first floor of every building and any alley you find. She's just one girl; she can't escape a whole force."

"Shit." I muttered under my breath. I looked around frantically for an escape, seeing a fire escape above me. In the movies, the heroes always managed to hide by going up the fire escapes, so I figured that'd work for me too. Big mistake.

I climbed onto a garbage can as quietly as I could and reached for the bottom rung of the ladder. When my fist clenched around it, I lifted myself up with all my strength. The rusted metal squeaked, giving me away completely.

"God damnit!" I cursed, trying frantically to pull myself up before they could reach me.

"Did you hear that? Let's go check it out." One of the men said, and I knew I was screwed.

I'd barely pulled myself onto the ladder and up a few rungs before the policemen reached my alley. A shot went off, hitting the wall beside my head, and I bit my tongue to keep from screaming.

"Wait! Don't shoot! We aren't here to kill her." The commanding officer told the shooter firmly.

I let out a sigh of relief, but it turned into a gasp when something sharp went into my shoulder. Once the initial pain faded, I began to lose focus. I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness, and I knew I'd been hit with a knockout dart.

I tried my hardest to stay awake, but I couldn't control it. I passed out, loosing grip on the ladder and free falling into the air for the second time in twenty four hours.

I woke up with a sore back thanks to the hard metal bed under me. I opened my eyes, groggily looking around at my cell. It wasn't much, just your standard metal bed, toilet, and sink cell. The aftereffects of the drug made my head pound, and I rose unsteadily to my feet. I wanted to know what was going on, and that wouldn't happen if they thought I was asleep.

"Hey!" I called, spotting a cop roving down the hall. He barely spared me a glance before walking away. "Hey!" I repeated, growing agitated. "Someone tell me what's going on!" I wondered if the police had been infiltrated by the terrorists or by hydra, and now they were kidnapping me against the Avengers. It didn't seem too unlikely, but it didn't line up with the main officer saying he wanted to arrest me. Was I being imprisoned for a crime? If so, what? I needed answers, or I'd go mad. "Come on! I have rights; you can't just ignore me."

"Hello, Miss Stark." I whipped my head to the side to see the main officer who'd been at my arrest.

"Actually, it's Marianna." I corrected angrily. "Why am I here?"

He ignored the question. "Ah yes, excuse me, it is Miss Marianna, isn't it? Soon to be Mrs. Rogers?"

"How do you…What are you talking about?" How the hell would he know about that?

"I have a lot of intel about this city and many of its more famous citizens."

"Like the Avengers?"

"Exactly like the Avengers. Most of the time, the intel on that team and family members like you is positive, like you'd expect from a bunch of superheroes, but sometimes the news isn't quite so good. That applies when it comes to you and your involvement selling terrorists weapons."

I groaned. "Oh God, so that's why I'm here. Well, let me first say, I don't make weapons and certainly never sold them to terrorists, and secondly, fuck you all for believing the lies. Can I go now?"

"As compelling as that was, I think you'll be in this cell a little bit longer."

"You can't just do that! I have rights." Even in my own head, I knew that sounded whiny, but I didn't care.

"Not as a dangerous traitor in times of war."

"What evidence do you have?"

The officer, whose name was etched into his uniform as 'Birch', nodded to his two companion police officers and they unlocked the door. I knew there was no point in trying to run, so I didn't struggle when one of them handcuffed my hands behind my back.

With a gentle push, I left my cell and was led down the hall. "Where are you taking me?"

Birch didn't look back to reply, "To show you evidence."

I glared at his back, but he didn't seem affected. I should've engineered laser eyes, I thought to myself.

We reached a small room with a table, chairs, and a projector, and the officers locked me and Birch up inside. He sat down in one of the chairs, calmly folding his hands together on the table. His calmness unnerved me, so I looked away. "That's a really old ass projector." I commented, gazing at the ancient technology. "Maybe if you're nice to me I can fix it up for you."

"A very kind offer, but that's not why we're here now."

"Fine." With a huff, I saw down in the chair across from him. "What's your evidence against someone who's innocent."

"Well, in the first place, you ran from the police when you were arrested."

I hadn't thought about how that may have seemed suspicious. "I was scared." I defended myself, trying to keep my voice from shaking with fear. "Wouldn't you be if a bunch of men pointed their guns at you?"

"On to evidence two: the videos. We have videographic evidence of you sneaking off nightly and meeting in dark spaces with hooded men. Then, last night, we found a complicated technological item waiting in one of the four locations you visited. It's a bomb, which we believe you set to blow the whole city, is this true?"

I was shell shocked, not having expected these accusations. "What are you talking about?" I asked incredulously. "I never did any of that."

Birch waved to someone off the camera. "Play the film." He said.

The lights in the room went dark, and the projector played footage onto the wall. Though it was hard to make out from the security footage, I could see a familiar jacket walking down the road. Then the scene cut, and I was standing in front of an abandoned apartment building on the edge of town, talking to some man in a hood. Next clip, I was leaving a building on the other side of town with a man in a hood and on and on of the same thing. On the corner of the screen, I could see the dates, which became closer together the closer we got to the present. Finally, we reached the night two nights before, and I nearly leapt from , my chair when I saw the gray t-shirt I'd thought I'd lost. In one frame, it was just as I'd had it before, but in the next it was stained with a dark substance, probably blood.

I gasped, putting my hand to my mouth when video me turned towards the camera with dimly glowing purple eyes. She looked away quickly before running off into the night.

"How do you explain all that?" The police officer asked.

My mind was whirling to fast to hear him, and I stared to the wall. For the first time, I could finally put things together. It all made sense why I'd been so tired, why I lost the shirt; I'd been under the control of the Erthymen. I chastised myself for not seeing it before, though there was really no way I could've. In my sleep, the Erthymen had taken control of my body and made me do its bidding, all while I was totally unaware. The stunt on the rooftop wasn't the first time, like I'd thought, but instead was just the first time while I'd been conscious. Exhaustion plagued me because I never actually slept.

Knowing all that was like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders, but that lightness quickly faded when I remembered Birch said I'd created a bomb. I had no memories of what I'd created, but knowing the Erthymen, I doubted that could be a good thing.

"What was it you found?" I asked the officer, ignoring his questions.

"A bomb. Your bomb."

"How does it work?"

"We don't know; we need you to tell us that."

"I don't know either!" I stood from my chair, pacing agitatedly.

"How do you not know how what you've created works?" He asked, clearly skeptical.

"Because I didn't fucking make it! Well…I guess I did, but it wasn't me… what I mean to say is that I was controlled. I was under mind control during it, so I don't remember anything." It took me a while to formulate the truth into words, and I winced at how lame it sounded.

"That's an interesting theory." Birch said, leaning back in his chair. It didn't take a genius to know he didn't believe me for a second.

"It's not just a theory; it's the truth."

"Prove it."

"I can't! Not now at least. But that's not important; really what's important is that we disable the bomb. Whatever it does, it's probably pretty bad. Your scientists have to disable it as fast as they can."

"Our scientists haven't figured out how to disable it, as of yet, but you could speed up that process."

"Goddamnit!" I cursed, wishing I had something to throw to knock so sense into the ornery man. "I don't know how to disable it or even to make it! But, I may be able to figure it out. Take me there, and I can figure out how to break it."

"How stupid do you think we are?"

I glared at him. "Too stupid to see that I'm innocent."

"And so, to be smart, we should just forget the evidence and believe you, then allow you to get to your superweapon so you can 'disable it' or more likely set it off?"  
Though I'd never admit it, he had a point. It did seem a little suspicious. "I'm not conspiring against you! I'm trying to save you!" My voice rose to a level of nearly screaming.

"Calm down, Miss Marianna." Birch said placatingly, rising from his chair.

"How can I calm down when you plan to let the whole city get destroyed?" I asked him, taking an unconscious step towards him in hostility.

His hand flew to his side, and he pulled out a gun. "I said calm. Down." He told me firmly. "Now sit, or I'll have to shoot."

Even in a fire spitting rage, I knew his tone meant business and I complied. "Please." I said, closing my eyes and taking deep breaths to calm myself. "I'm not the bad guy. I just want to help. Let me go and I can do that."

"Listen, Miss Marianna-" Birch paused, noticing his phone buzzing in his pocket. He picked it up, and I heard gunfire on the other end of the line. "What's going on?"

"Sir." Said someone on the other end of the line. "There's been a breach in the compound, several people have broken in and are trying to get down to the prison level."

Birch cursed under his breath. "I'll be right there." He said. He sped to the door and out it, giving a guard instructions to watch me and locking me in. I wasn't sure whether to be relieved or scared, so I was a little bit of both. I didn't know who was coming and whose side they were on, but if I got lucky, there was a chance I could escape.

Checking to make sure the guard wasn't looking, I slid into Birch's seat and hacked into the security feed to see if there was a way for me to get out. It was difficult, considering my hands were manacled behind my back, but I managed it, and ten minutes later I could see the whole compound on the computer. My fear quickly changed to relief when I saw Steve, Wanda, and Clint pushing their way through the guards. At a crossroads, they split up and I waited to figure out which one would find me first. There was a grunt outside my interrogation room, and I heard my guard fall to the ground unconscious. Wanda and I made eye contact through the window, and relief washed over me. I was finally saved.

Using her freaky mind powers, Wanda removed the door from its hinges and entered the room.

"Wanda!" I exclaimed. "I don't think you understand how glad I am to see you."

"And I am glad to see that you are unharmed." Wanda told me, looking my up and down. There was something in her eyes I didn't understand, but I didn't have time to dwell on it. She unlocked the handcuffs with red magic.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just have to get out of here so I can stop the bomb."

"I know; that's why we came so quickly. We were going to spend more time with paperwork and such to secure your release, but you need to discharge that bomb faster than that could happen."

"Wait, how do you know about the bomb?"

"Tony tapped the sound in this building, so we heard the whole interrogation."

"Wait, how are you guys even here? I thought you were in Mexico."

"We returned an hour ago, and all we saw was footage and news of your arrest." Footsteps pounded down the hall. "Come on! We need to get out of here."

" I agree." I told her, and we ran out of the room and into the hallway. I stole to a gun from the unconscious guard, but I didn't plan to use it. I'd vowed never be kill anyone again, and even now I wouldn't break that vow.

Men approached behind us and Wanda shot red balls of energy at them. I tried to keep up with her running, but my body was still slightly tainted by the drug. I swayed a little, falling behind.

"Come on!" Wanda told me, grabbing my arm and pulling me along. With the other arm, she kept firing at the men. Something whizzed over my head, and I turned just in time to see an arrow hit the floor in front of the men and explode.

In front of us, Hawkeye stood with his bow still poised. "You got her?" He asked Wanda, reloading his bow.

"Yes."

"Okay then we just need Steve and we'll go."

"I'm here." Steve said, running out from a hall just in front of us. He glanced over all of us briefly, giving a small smile when he looked at me. I smiled back halfheartedly. "Let's get out of here."

Together, the four of us ran for the exit. Wanda and Clint fell to the back, firing their projectiles at the guards, while Steve and I ran at the front. We reached the door and ran out it. A helicopter came into view in front of us, turning off its cloaking. "Come on." Tony said. "You guys are so slow."

"Sorry, we've been a little busy." Steve retorted, jumping inside and pulling me with him. Wanda and Clint quickly jumped up behind us.

"Sloppy work. I would've had her out minutes ago."

"You know, it's easy to talk big, but it's harder to follow through in practice."

"Pfft." Tony scoffed. "I don't need to prove I'm good. Everyone already knows that." Steve rolled his eyes.

"Where are we off to?" Sam asked, and I did a double take when I saw him flying the copter.

"The edge of town, the old Gartmen Hotel." Steve told him. "Put stealth back on."

"Already done. People might find it a little strange if a helicopter randomly flew up from the prisons."

"They've probably seen stranger." Clint commented with a shrug.

"True."

They kept talking, but I tuned them out. I needed a minute to calm my racing heart and collect my thoughts. Steve put a hand on my shoulder, steadying me when I swayed. "Thanks." I muttered, but I wasn't really focused on him for once.

It only took five minutes before we were landing above the building. Tony jumped out first, hurrying to check out the bomb. We didn't know whether the tech was some sort of Erthymen plan or something I'd come up with, or a mix of both.

I fell behind the rest of the team as we walked, but Steve remained by my side. It felt good to be by him again. "I missed you." I told him quietly.

"I missed you too. I hate to leave you so often, but… I really can't help it."

"It's fine. I understand."

"Thank you. It takes a lot of patience to do that."

I laughed slightly. "No it doesn't. If it did, I'd fai. I have no patience."

"Yes you do…sometimes." He told me with a chuckle.

I shoved his arm playfully. "Oh shut up."

"I'm just-"

"Hey Nika," Wanda said, cutting Steve off.

"Hmm?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowing at her strange tone.

She turned to Steve. "Can I talk to Nika alone?"

Steve glanced at me, making sure it was okay, which was sweet. I nodded. Of course it was okay, Wanda was my friend. With a brisk nod back at me, Steve hurried forward to join Tony and Clint at the front, leaving us alone.

"What?" I asked, not liking how Wanda was staring at me. I hated to be stared at.

"I can sense it."

"Sense what?"

"I can hear the thoughts of both of you."

"Me and Steve?" I blushed, wondering what kind of things she'd heard. "Yeah, I know you can."

Wanda rolled her eyes. "No, not you and Steve. Both of _you_."

"What are you talking about?"

"You really don't know, do you?"

I was growing exasperated, hating to not know something. "Know what?" I snapped.

"That you're pregnant."

I froze in my tracks, my eyes widening. I couldn't believe what she'd just said, and I certainly couldn't process it. "I'm…I'm…what?" I asked incredulously, hoping I'd heard her wrong.

"You're pregnant. I can sense the life inside you."

I glanced down frantically at my stomach, glad to see it was totally flat. She had to be wrong, I told myself. "No, that's not possible." I told her with a brisk shake of my head. "Steve and I… I've been on birth control, I can't be pregnant."

"I don't know much about birth control, but I know it has apparently failed for you. There's no mistaking it; you're carrying a child." She paused, putting a hand on my arm in concern. "Are you ok? I thought you'd be happy."

"No I… I'm just in shock. It can't be true, can it?" I wanted deeply for her to start laughing and say it was all a joke, but that didn't happen.

"It is." She told me firmly.

My head was already spinning from the interrogation and the bomb, so the new news didn't make me any less dizzy. I took a deep breath, trying to pull myself together. Across the room, I could see Tony and the others working on what I assumed was the bomb. I laser pointed my mind to that, focusing on one thing so the others didn't rip me apart. "I have to work on this bomb, and fix things there." I told Wanda shakily. "I'll think about this later."

"Yes. I agree: let us focus on this now. But we can talk later, yes?"

"Yes." I hastily agreed, still putting it from my mind.

I examined the large mechanical thing with some of the tools Tony had brought. I hated to admit it, but I honestly had no memory of creating it. Yet, the design was certainly something I'd create. The whole thing was maybe the size of a car, but it looked nothing like that. The metal, which I could tell was titanium, was formed in shells that covered several layers of metal wire. In the center, a basketball sized control center flashed sporadically with a purple light. No matter what we did to it, using either brute strength or precision, the control center just wouldn't open, so we could see the power source.

Perhaps I wouldn't have been too concerned about it all, since the Erthymen was gone, but when one of the five bright lights on the side turned off, I inwardly freaked out.

"Oh my God…" I muttered, clenching my fists to try and keep calm.

"What is it?" Steve asked, straightening from where he'd been leaning on against a column.

I turned to him with fear in my eyes. "It's…this is timer." I pointed to the lights. "I remember… when these lights all go dark, these things go off."

"What?" Wanda asked incredulously. "There's more than one?"

I nodded, though I didn't know how I knew that information. The longer it went with the Erthymen gone, the more I could remember things that happened under its control. "There's four. One on all sides of the city."

"A bomb this size couldn't possibly do that much damage to the city." Clint scoffed.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Have you seen some of Tony's inventions?" He frowned, not replying. I knew I had him there.

"How do we stop these things then? What damage are we looking at?"

"I don't know for sure, but I'm assuming citywide annihilation." I rubbed my head, trying to remember more of what I'd done. Slowly, I could recall the figures of the cloaked men and what I'd said to them, but it wasn't very useful. "I think this was the Erthymen's backup plan, if you still destroyed it despite the risk to my life. The thing wanted to leave us a nice legacy. It's malicious like that."

"Gee. How kind of it." Clint said with a roll of his eyes. "How does a gas even have emotions?"

I shrugged, irritated that I hadn't thought about that. It didn't make sense, though many things in the Avengers' world didn't. How could a gas have any emotions? I vowed to research it later. "That's not important now. What we need to be doing now is figuring out how this thing works before the whole city blows up."

"Right. That would probably be good. Let's get going." Tony said, handing me a wrench.

I took a deep breath. "Why can't these things ever be easy?"

"Because you're a Stark and life is always complicated for Starks." Tony retorted.

I didn't even have the energy to correct him.


	21. Chapter 21: Fifty Percent Chance

**A/N: I really know nothing about bombs or science like that, so I'm sorry if my explanation of them diffusing it doesn't seem plausible to you lol. Enjoy! and please leave a review and tell me what you think :) Disclaimer: Same as always**

For the next three hours, Tony and I furiously tried to figure out the bomb and how to shut it off. Around us, the team came and went, trading shifts. I was pretty sure every Avenger minus Black Widow and Hulk had showed up at some point, but there was nothing they could do to help.

At four hours, another light went off. "Well," I commented blandly. "Now we know a dot goes off every four hours."

"Which means that we still have twelve hours to figure it out." Tony said. "And we have to figure it out by then."

"I'm not so sure- ow!" I cursed as the control panel zapped me again. For the past two hours, I'd been trying to get inside and see the power source, but it just wasn't working. "This thing certainly isn't making this easy."

"What'd you expect? You're becoming as optimistic as Cap."

I grumbled a response and kept working, nursing my burnt hand. I glanced over at Tony, noticing he'd stopped to just stare at the control center. I could tell the wheels in his were turning. "What?" I asked, hoping he had something good.

"That energy… it's purple, probably the same type of power as the Erthymen, right?"

I squinted at him, trying to figure out where he was going. "Um…yes?"

"And that power was the same inside you, right?"

"Yeah."

"And to try and remove the power from you, you and Banner reversed its affect, right?"

"Right… OH!" It suddenly clicked in my head. "So maybe we can try to do the same thing here! And if it reverses, then it'll open up for us!"  
"Bingo!" He pulled out his phone, moving a hologram into the space in front of us. On it, I could see Banner and I's faces along with all our lab work during our experiments."

I stared at it, wide eyed. "How do you have all this?" I asked incredulously.

He shrugged. "Bruce records all his research, and it's not that difficult to hack his computer and get the work."

"How do you even know where his computer is?"

"I put a tracker on the phone I gave you, so I just looked up where you'd been all that time you were away."

"What?!" I ripped my phone out of my pocket, impulsively throwing it away from me. "You've been tracking this?!"

"Yup. There's trackers on all my tech."

"You sick bastard!" I snapped, glaring at him. Under my breath, I added, "Why didn't I think to check for that?" It wasn't that unreasonable to expect he'd do that, so I don't know why I didn't see it coming. I hated to think Tony had outsmarted me.

"I guess I outsmarted you then." Tony said, voicing my thoughts.

I crossed my arms over my chest defensively. "As if," I scoffed. "I knew all along. I just didn't want to tell you and hurt your feelings." It was a total lie, but I felt it was pretty convincing.

I could tell Tony didn't believe it for a second. "If you knew, you would've removed it from your phone..."

"Moving on." I said, quickly changing the subject. I shifted through the holographic information, refreshing myself on all the research.

Together, Tony and I formulated a way to translate the cure from a genetic thing to a mechanical thing. It took a brief trip to his lab, but soon we had a vial of glowing gold liquid to pour into the stubborn control panel. Morning was breaking by the time we returned to the site with the cure.

"Bottoms up." Tony said, pouring the vial into a crack on the control panel. It didn't open for a second, and I worried it'd failed. Then, it suddenly popped open, like corn kernels in a microwave. I whooped, pumping my fist in the air.

"We did it!" I said, high fiving Tony. My exuberance faded slightly when I saw the complicated innerworkings of the machine. Surrounded by a bunch of wires, a purple ball in the center pulsed with unnatural light and I looked away, rubbing my eyes.

Tony tried to remove the core, but it zapped him and he hastily pulled his arms back. "Shit." He cursed, covering his hurt arm.

I sighed. "It's still resisting. I guess I put a failsafe."

"Good job." Tony muttered.

Rays of sun penetrated our electric lit space, reminding me I hadn't slept all night. Exhaustion hit my full force, which was probably because of the pregnancy. I quickly put that thought from my mind, not ready to deal with it.

"Hey, do you have any alcohol?" I asked Tony. "I need a pick me up."

"This is me. Of course I do."

"Great. Let's take a break." I leaned against a column while Tony pulled out two bottles of whiskey from under a lab table he'd erected.

He handed me one of them, and I took it eagerly, drinking deep. I felt a little buzz, and I smiled, taking another drink.

Across from me, Tony did the same, though with a more serious expression on his face. The blue dots behind Tony's head caught my eye, and my heart flipped when one of them suddenly went off. Now there were only two left.

"Oh my God." I said, running towards it.

Tony turned towards it too, eyebrows furrowing.

"So much for twelve hours." I closed my eyes, deep in thought. I shouldn't have been so confident in the time we had; knowing myself, I'd have timed each dot differently so no one could really know how much time they had. It was a smart plan for the one who set the bomb, but not for the one trying to disable it. I wished I could go back in time a couple days and slap myself for this.

Tony frowned at the machine, strangely not making a snappy comment. I was glad; for once, we just needed to be serious. "Then we have to figure this out quickly."

"And then fix all four of them."

He rubbed his face with his hand, then walked over to our holographic model. "Maybe if we…"

"Bad news!" Pietro said, seeming to appear next to us with his speed. I jumped, startled by his appearance.

Once I recovered, I frowned. "What? What's worse than a bomb blowing up the whole city?"

"The police coming towards this location in full force."

"I don't think that's worse than the whole city blowing up." Tony said, not looking up from where he was tinkering on the bomb. "Nika, could you hand me that screwdriver?"

I tossed him the tool, but kept my focus on Pietro. "What are we going to do about the policemen?"  
"We'll handle it. But Steve doesn't want us to harm them, so you guys need to be quick so we can get out of here."

"Oh darn, I guess we have to stop sitting around on our asses now." Tony commented with a snort.

I chuckled, but told Pietro seriously, "Tell Steve we're going as fast as we can. I made this pretty complicated, so it's taking a while to crack. How much longer keep you keep the cops off before you have to start hurting them?"

"Maybe thirty minutes."

"Gotcha." I tried to ignore the knot of worry that created in my stomach. I didn't think we could figure it out that quickly.

"See you later." Pietro sped off, rejoining Steve and the others outside.

"Just what we needed." I muttered to myself. "More time constraints."

"We work better under stress, kid."

I picked back up my tools and joined Tony in looking at the core. "Don't call me kid." I told him belatedly.

"What would you prefer? I don't have any other nicknames for you. How about Stark Jr.? Purple-eyed girl? St. Nikalos?"

"Oh shut up." I told him, but I couldn't help but laugh a little.

Over the next twenty minutes, we worked like crazy, going back and forth from the actual machine to our holograms of information. I kept panic at bay by focusing on the work, but it wasn't working very well. Taking a breather, I went to one of the desks and drank straight from the vodka bottle.

"I've got an idea!" Tony said suddenly, plugging something rapidly into the database.

"What?" I asked, putting the bottle down.

"That virus diffused the outerworkings of the control center, so what if we used it for the center too?"

"It wouldn't work. I already tested that."

"I know. But what if we…" He trailed off, moving things across the screen. I watched, following

as he switched part the formula about. It made sense, but there was a major problem with it.

"If we do that, there's a fifty percent chance it could still blow up this sector of the city along with ourselves."

"Yes. But there's also a fifty percent chance…" He switched the formula around a bit more. "Make that sixty percent chance that it could work and diffuse the bomb."

"We can't take that risk. That's thousands of lives in danger."

"It'll work." Tony said dismissively. "I haven't failed on something like this yet."

"Yet. And only because if you had then you'd be dead."

"Which I'm not." His tone changed from joking to serious. "We're running out of time, and this is the only solution I can think of."

I hated that he was right. "Ugh…okay, fine. Do it. But I'm not going to watch."

"First, do you, ah, have any suggestions?"

I rose an eyebrow, surprised he'd ask. I felt honored that he trusted me enough to drop the front that he was perfect and ask for help. "Nope, just-" I shifted something around again, raising the percentage of success on the screen to 70 percent.

"Good job squirt."

"Ugh, kid was better than that."

He mixed the serum from the formula on the screen and swirled it around a little, trying to get it perfect. Outside, I could hear a couple gunshots and shouting. "Shit." I muttered. "We need to hurry."

"Going as fast as I can."

When Tony walked towards the core with the vial, all the potential horrible situations that could result flashed through my brain. I covered my eyes, turning away. "I can't watch this." I told him.

"Suit yourself."

For the next thirty seconds, there was silence. Then, I heard a steaming noise, and I felt my life flash before my eyes. I waited for the impact that would end my life. I didn't believe in a heaven or a hell, so now I wondered what would happen to me. Would I just fade into nothing? I guess I'm about to find out, I thought to myself.

Over a minute passed and the explosion never happened. Hope fluttered in my chest, and I slowly uncovered my eyes and turned around.

From beside the machine, Tony held the vial in the air and grinned cockily. "It worked. Just like I knew it would."

"Thank God!" I exclaimed, relief flooding over me. I could see within the machine the core that no longer had any light. It was dead, just like the Erthymen and just like the threat it posed. "I'll go tell the others."

I turned to run, but something caught my eye. The little dots that counted down the time were lit by the power in the building, so they were still on. And there was only one. "Tony, when did the clock get to one?" I asked, horrified.

He frowned. "I don't know. I didn't notice."

"If there's only one left, the other bombs could go off any second." I ran towards the desk, throwing together the elements of the formula as quickly as I could. Tony helped me, and five precious minutes later, we had three vials of the old stuff to open it and three of the new stuff to shut it down.

Tony called his suit to him, only saying, "I'm going to the east first" before flying off with two vials.

I grabbed two myself and sprinted towards the front of the building. Bullets whizzed by my head, and I ducked just in time. I could hear Steve shouting at the police to stand down, but it was pretty much to no avail. I peeked through a shattered window, seeing the situation for the first time. There were twenty cops, all with guns firing. My friends were ducking behind a little half wall in the front of the building, trying to fire at the cops to wound and not kill.

I needed Pietro so he could speed me to one of the locations, but of course he was furthest away. Without stopping to think about it, I bolted into the fray, running towards Pietro during a pause in firing. The others were so focused on holding off the cops that I doubted they even saw me.

"Pietro!" I hissed, ducking down beside him.

"What are you doing?" He asked, pulling me lower when a bullet nearly hit me. "Are you crazy?"

"Maybe." I told him breathlessly. "I need you to take me to 118 Rock Street, which is pretty much across the city. It's an old office building with a giant mural of a dying rose spray painted on the side. " I was surprised by the detail with which I could remember the building, but the more memories came back, the clearer everything became. "There's another bomb there I have to take care of."

"Is this one disabled?"

"Yes. Come on! We have to go fast because the other bombs could go off any second."

"Fast is my specialty." Pietro said. Before I could make a necessary 'that's that she said' joke, he'd swept my feet from under me and run away.

I closed my eyes tightly, feeling the wind whoosh around me at high speeds. After barely a few minutes passed, we came to a stop and Pietro put me down. I swayed, feeling a little dizzy from the speed.

"Sorry it took long. I couldn't find the building at first."

"You call that long?" I joked, finally regaining my senses. "You just ran across the entire city in less than ten minutes."

"Like I said, not my best speed."

"Show off." I muttered. "Oh, and could you text Steve that Tony and I are gone. Hopefully the cops will stop firing then."

I didn't wait for him to answer before running into the building. Thankfully, the place was abandoned so long there weren't any locks unbroken, and I easily made my way into the basement. Inside, a machine the same as the one before waited for me. The single blue dot glared at me, reminding me I needed to work fast. I poured the first vial onto the outer casing to open it and then the other shakily onto the inner core. It occurred to me just as the first drops landed that there was still a thirty percent chance it would explode when I did this, but it was too late to turn back.

Despite my fears, the core flashed a couple times and then went dark. "Phew." I breathed out, wiping a bead of sweat from my forehead.

Yet I knew that even if Tony did his job successfully, I still had one core to worry about. I ran back outside, where Pietro was waiting.

"Hey personal taxi. Take me to 849 Jerkson Lane on the opposite side of town. It's right by the water, so it shouldn't be hard to find. Hurry! I still don't know when the next one will go off."

"I am not a taxi." Pietro muttered, rolling his eyes. Nonetheless, he swept my feet out from under me and off we went. This time, I was a little more prepared, but the wind still stung at our speed.

It took Pietro longer this time, probably since the building was less distinguishable, but after ten minutes, he stopped and set me down.

"Thanks. You should go back and help Steve." I said over my shoulder, already running towards the door.

"I want to help you."

"Do you know how to diffuse a bomb?"

"No."

"Then you can't help."

He paused to retort, but thought better of it and finally ran off to help my fiancé. I didn't know what was going down back at the original location with the police, and I didn't really have time to care about it myself.

This time, I wasn't quite so lucky. The bomb's hiding place functioned as a warehouse, so there was a security system in place.

Cursing inwardly, I hacked into the keypad beside the door, trying to get it to open. I lost three precious minutes before the red light turned green and I heard the door unlock. I reached for the door, but a metal hand in red and gold reached it before me. I jumped back, startled.

"After you." Tony said, holding open the door for me with fake gallantry. I'd been so focused on hacking the system that I hadn't noticed him land. Seeing him in the suit felt strange, like I was looking at some robot and not my father. I didn't like it.

"When did you get here?" I asked, entering through the door and walking, more like sprinting, alongside him.

"I diffused the eastern bomb and then came straight here. How did you get here so fast?"

"Pietro brought me. I diffused the bomb on Rock Street, so now this is the only one left."

After four flights of stairs, we reached the basement where the bomb was kept. Without hesitation, I poured the first vial onto it and then the second. Relief washed over me. It was finally all over; four bombs were gone and no one had died. This had worked surprisingly well, despite the danger of it. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath so I could calm down from the adrenaline that'd been in my veins.

"Nika. Step back." Tony's voice was more stern than I'd ever heard it, so my eyes snapped open. Unlike the other two cores, this one hadn't turned off. Instead, it was flashing faster and faster. I shakily stepped back.

"I-is it gonna explode?" I asked, my voice shaky.

"Yes. I guess this is the thirty percent."

"Is it gonna blow up a fourth of the city?"

"No time to find out."

The core was flashing faster and faster, the lights seconds away from merging into one. Without a word, Tony suddenly blasted a hole in the ceiling for several floors, grabbed my waist, and flew out into the air. Despite the cold metal arm holding me to him, I felt like I was falling, so I wrapped my arms around the suit's torso for dear life.

There was a earsplitting 'bang' and a cloud of smoke and fire rushed up at us. Tony flew higher, trying to avoid the heat, but I still felt like my skin was searing off. Tony maneuvered left just in time to avoid a piece of debris from hitting me, but it knocked my grip lose. I started to slide out of the grip of the suit, but Tony reached out his other arm and grabbed me, pulling me back.

"If you almost fucking drop me again I will kill you." I muttered, though it was more of the terror talking than me.

The flames finally subsided below us, and I dared to peek down and see the damage. Since we weren't dead, I assumed it hadn't taken a fourth of the city, but I feared the damage would still be signification. In my mind, I imagined the whole block blown to the sky and bodies strewn everywhere.

Reality was very different than that picture. Instead of the whole block, only the office building and a chuck of the neighboring building was destroyed. No bodies were on the ground, though I wasn't naïve enough to think no one died. "Why isn't there more damage?"

"The core must have imploded rather than exploded. That would cause a much smaller explosion."

"We're hella lucky that happened then."

"It's not luck. It's science."

"Sure." I looked back down again, and my stomach dropped. I hadn't really realized how high we were until then. I wasn't afraid of heights, but, damn, we were high. "Please. Put me down." I told Tony.

"No 'thank you for saving my life'? Geez, you're ungrateful."

"I got it from you. Seriously, though, put me down."

"Ah but this is such a great father daughter bonding moment."

"I'd rather bond on the ground."

"Fine, be that way." He complained, slowly descending to the ground. When we reached the pavement, I quickly let go, resisting the urge to kiss the ground.

Around us, dust and debris were settling upon the remains of an office building. The former ten stories had become maybe a half not including the hole in the ground that had been the basement. I stepped through the rubble with Tony on my heels, searching for survivors or something intact that could be of use. I'd never blown up a building before, and I certainly wasn't proud of doing it now.

Dust clogged my lungs, and I started coughing, covering my face with my shirt to breathe better. Tony went off in the opposite direction while I descended on what was left of the staircase. The basement was dark and hazy from dust, so I pulled out my phone from my pocket and turned on the flashlight. I remembered with irritation how Tony had been tracking me, and I wrote a reminder to remove the tracking on it.

I didn't expect to find anything in the rubble besides more rubble, but I kept searching anyway. Above me, I could hear the muffled voices of the Avengers and cops, who'd probably just arrived on the scene. I probably needed to talk to them, since I was a wanted but innocent criminal who'd broken out of prison, but I put it off.

I went down the staircase once more, reaching the floor where the bomb had been. By far, this floor had been the most annihilated. Every wall had been blown out, so there was simply a cracked stone floor and concrete shards everywhere. The hole in the ceiling gave an obstructed view of sky, something I doubted the basement had seen much before.

Where the bomb had been, there was nothing, literally nothing. I circled the spot a couple times, puzzled by the total absence. It was the center of the explosion, I reprimanded myself, it would be hit the worst.

I decided that my work was done and swept the room one more time with flashlight before leaving. On the first basement floor, I heard something shift. I hadn't meant to stop again, but that was too strange to resist. My curiosity overrode my fear, and I stepped into the destroyed space, shining my light around again.

This time, I saw something in the corner move and groan. A person! I thought, running towards him without a second thought.

"Hey dude," I said, shifting rubble from a middle aged man's body and kneeling beside him. "Are you alright? Talk to me!"

He groaned in response, his eyes slowly fluttering open.

I froze, memories flashing through my head. I recognized this man; he was one of the men in hoods who made me set up the bomb. My body scrambled back of its own accord, not wanting to be near such an evil man.

He obviously recognized me, and his gaze turned icy. "You!" He snarled weakly. "You're the one who sabotaged this mission after your little friends murdered my master."

"That's because he was a monster." I snapped, hoping he didn't hear the fear in my voice. This man was hella creepy, and I didn't like being near him. Something about him seemed absent, as if he was some sort of ghost or ghoul.

"He was trying to help us dispel you horrible Westerners and Avengers from the planet." He fell into a fit of coughing and couldn't reply for several seconds. "And he'll still succeed, don't you worry. He may be gone, but we aren't. You call yourselves the Avengers, but now we are out to avenge as well." I stepped away from him, feeling my heart speed up in my chest. Even though he wasn't really in a position to threaten, I knew he told the truth. I had no doubt the Avengers couldn't take on whatever force he'd amassed, but I wished it could all be over. With Thor's warning, we just didn't have time to keep fighting this war. We should be preparing for an invasion from space, but instead we had to waste time fighting a petty war.

"Though I die, I take you with me." He man choked out. I didn't process what that meant until he reached out from the rubble and grabbed at my throat. I screamed, but the noise was cut off as I began to choke. I tried to pry his hands from my neck, but his grip was surprisingly strong. The world became fuzzy around me and I lost the strength to struggle.

I'd nearly passed out when the man suddenly groaned and started convulsing, loosening his grip. I sank to the ground, gasping for breath. After a painful minute or two, the man stopped moving. I didn't need to look at him to know he was dead. My neck felt bruised and breathing hurt, but I managed to stand back up and slowly back away. I sprinted up the stairs and out into the sunlight.

"There you are." Steve said, his face etched with concern. He enveloped me in a quick hug before gently holding onto my shoulders. "Are you alright?" He asked, his eyes searching my face.

"I'm fine." I said, wincing at how weak my voice sounded.

He frowned. "What happened?"

"It's just the smoke and dirt in my lungs." I lied, not wanting to go into detail about the creepy man.

I could tell he didn't believe me, but I gave him a look that said 'I'll tell you later' and he didn't say anything.

We spent the next hour and a half talking to the police and among ourselves to get all the details. Apparently after Tony and I left the cops and my friends made peace. They managed to convince them to drop charges on me and chase after the people who actually did this. In the wide world around us, no one knew anything about the bombs besides that the one here had gone off. Tony and Steve were in the corner arguing over what to tell the public about it, but I wasn't paying attention. My mind was elsewhere, an elsewhere than involved information a dark haired witch had told me. Now that I had time to think about it, I wished I didn't. Not that I wanted to have to diffuse more bombs I'd created, I just wanted a new discussion. Anything to keep me from having to think about the baby, no, fetus growing in my stomach.

"What's wrong with you?" Clint's voice asked. I jumped, not having noticed when he leaned against a lamp post nearby. I'd thought he was still talking to police about stuff.

"Nothing." I lied smoothly. Clint and I were friends, but he certainly wouldn't be the first person to find out. That would be Steve, and I didn't look forward to that conversation.

"You certainly aren't acting like it. You look at if you're being forced to watch someone kick a puppy."

"I did just plant several bombs in the city which could've exploded and killed thousands." That wasn't the reason I was upset, but it certainly didn't help to improve my mood.

"They didn't go off, so no one died. That's all that matters."

I smirked halfheartedly. "Are you trying to be comforting? I wouldn't have pegged you as the sappy sort."

"Just the realistic kind. We think what we must to keep going."

"That's certainly not sappy." I looked away towards the building, seeing the picture of the man who'd died clearly in my mind. "You're wrong though."

"About what?"

"Someone did die."

He frowned. "Who are you talking about?"

I turned back to him, looking him straight in the eye. "I found a dying man in the rubble. He was one of the men who were with me when the Erthymen made me build those bombs. He said that they plan to get revenge. Apparently this isn't over."

He laughed drily. "When is it ever?" He didn't seem surprised that I'd found someone, and I was glad. I just needed to get it out, not to be interrogated.

Wanda called Clint over to talk about someone and I was left to my own thoughts. Despite it not having been my main problem, a bit of weight was lifted from my shoulders by Clint's response. Somehow his being able to laugh in the face of ominous doom made me able to laugh. There were a lot of problems on the horizon, an interplanetary war, an alien war, a baby, but maybe it wasn't so bad. I had the Avengers as my friends, and since that was true, I'd never be alone.


	22. Chapter 22: I Need to Talk

**A/N: Happy St. Patrick's Day! Sorry I didn't post for a few days but I was on vacation in Richmond. Thanks for all the reviews (Nisse your reviews always make me smile) and as for the question about whether or not there will be a sequel- I'm really not sure. I have the idea for one, and I'm writing another short story where Nika is in it (not the protag though) but I'm not sure if it'll ever actually happen. If it does- the story will be called "Nika Rogers" and pick up a year after this story ends. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Disclaimer: I don't own anything Marvel**

I stared out the window as rain poured down outside. The sound as well as the cup of tea in my hands soothed me, helping me unwind. I was grateful; the past month I'd been so busy and stressed that I'd barely had time to breathe, no less to relax. Once the whole ordeal with the bombs passed, we took a diffused bomb to Tony and I's lab and began to analyze it. The thing was super complex, which meant it took a long time to figure it out even by me.

The current war seemed to be fading, but I believed the man's words that there would be some sort of retaliation, though I didn't know what it was. Nevertheless, I was forced to devote more of my focus on the coming war rather than the present one. To add to the task of figuring out the bomb, I also worked on building new defenses. I tried to improve the shielding Tony and I had come up with a year ago, but nothing I did worked right. I slowly became more and more frustrated.

It was after one of those frustrating days at the lab that I found myself sitting by the window with my tea. Outside, a rogue flash of lightning illuminated the sky, and I watched with fascination. Absently, I place a hand on my slightly raised stomach. It wasn't much, but for someone who'd worked hard their whole life to have a flat stomach, it felt strange. I wasn't more than three to four months pregnant, but I felt like it was getting somewhat obvious. It was a wonder to me that Steve hadn't figured it out, though I owed it partially to the fact he'd never comment on my weight, or any woman's weight for that matter.

Telling him was my plan for the night, however, whether he'd guessed or not. I'd hesitated for too long, telling myself he was too busy to be bothered or other shit like that. It was all just an excuse for the real reason that once I told him, I couldn't get an abortion. That thought had crossed my mind a thousand times, but I knew how upset Steve would be, so I never could bring myself to do it. Instead, I suffered in silence because of my indecision.

Now, I was sure of my choice and it gave me peace. Some of the stress was finally lifted from my shoulders.

The door to the apartment swung open, and I lazily turned towards it. Steve stood there, dripping from the rain. He still wore his captain America uniform, having come straight from the mission to back home.

I smiled at him, pushing away the butterflies in my stomach about what I'd soon tell him. "Hey babe. How was it?"

"Same as always." He said, walking over and pecking me on the cheek. "But I'll be here for a few days. I'll go change into something normal and we can go out, if you want to."

Usually, I loved going out, but tonight I already had plans set. "No I'd rather stay here tonight." I crinkled my nose. "Do change though. You smell like blood, sweat, and dirt."

He rolled his eyes. "I happen to have seen a lot of those things in the past few hours."

"But I don't want to now." I retorted.

While he left to change, I rose from my comfy chair and went into the kitchen. There weren't a lot of options, neither of us could cook, but I scrounged some leftover takeout and couple old apples. I chopped up the apples and arranged the leftovers on two plates, setting them down on the table. I poured a glass of brandy for myself and sat down at the table to wait for Steve. I couldn't deny I was nervous about revealing everything. I didn't know how it would change our relationship, which I liked the way it was. Maybe we had a lot of problems in our lives, but we had each other to lean on and I loved that. I didn't want anyone else factored into the equation.

Steve returned in a plain gray tshirt and shorts and sat down across from me. "A really gourmet meal we've got here." He joked.

"We both know I'm not much of a cook."

"And neither am I. Thank you for heating this up."

"No problem." I said, digging into the food with my fork. "So how was the mission? Were you successful?"

"More or less, their engineering section has fallen to pieces since the Erthymen fell, so now their fighting forces are barely holding together. We went into one of the old laboratories and dealt with a little resistance before destroying all the Erthymen infused tech that was left. By FRIDAY's calculations, which I don't always trust, there only two labs worth of the stuff left." He paused to take a bit of the food. "So what about you? How is work on the bomb going?"

"It's going." I told him dejectedly. "I don't understand why I can't replicate it, after all, I created it. It's impossible that I won't have it done within a month or two, but those months will be torture."

"What about the shield tech?"

"That's going a little better. I'll have it up before the year's out. Has Thor said anything new?" Ever since the threat of war with the dude with magic power stones, Thor had been coming back and forth from Earth to Asgard. He was trying to protect both of them, but Earth needed much more help than Asgard. Unhelpfully, he kept telling us we needed to finish the war so we could prepare.

"Heindel apparently has evidence to believe it may be sooner than the eleven months we'd expected."

"Can we be ready in time?"

Steve's expression darkened. "I try to be optimistic, but I'm not sure."

On that heavy note, it felt odd to bring up my news, but I couldn't put it off any longer.

When we finished dinner, I sat down on the couch, turning on the TV while I nervously fiddled with a blanket. Steve cleaned off the dishes and sat down beside me. I leaned against him, and we were silent for a few minutes while I tried to figure out how to bring it up.

Thankfully, Steve started the conversation for me. "What's wrong?" He asked. "You seem really nervous."

"That's because I- I have some news." I told him, turning my body so I was facing him.

"News?" Steve asked, eyebrow furrowing. "Good or bad?"

"Depends on how you look at it I guess." I looked down at my lap, nervously unbraiding the tassels on the blanket. Seconds passed and I just couldn't spit it out.

"What is it?" Steve prompted, sounding a little nervous himself.

"I…" I took a deep breath, dropping the blanket and looking him in the eye. "I'm pregnant."

Steve's eyes widened and he gaped. I couldn't read his expression or what he was thinking, and a lump of worry formed in my stomach. I had doubted he'd be upset by my news, but now I wasn't so sure.

"Steve?" I asked, picking back up my blanket. "Please say something. Are you upset?"

"Upset?" He shook his head, seeming to shake himself back into reality. "Of course not! That's great, Nika. Maybe not the best timed thing, but it doesn't matter. I'm just a little shocked." His eyes strayed to my stomach and then back to my face. "You don't seem…uh… how far are you?" I could see him blush a little, as he always did when talking about stuff like this.

"I'm not really sure. I think three or four months."

He frowned. "Haven't you been to the doctor?"

I looked down at the blanket. I'd hoped he wouldn't ask that question. "Well…no."

"I don't know a lot about these things," Steve said, the blush returning. "But I feel like you're supposed to go to the doctor."

"I know I just… I'm still…" I sighed, struggling to put a feeling into words. "It hasn't sunk in yet. I'm not ready. I don't want to be a mother; I won't be any good." My eyes focused on the fabric of the blanket, trying to keep tears from forming.

"Nika," Steve said tenderly, raising my chin with his hand to look at him. "You can do anything you put your mind to, and that's what I admire about you. If you try, you could be the best mother in the world."

I smiled, but it didn't reach my eyes. "You really think so?"

"I know so. You'll be an amazing mother and I'll be…" Confusion clouded his expression. "I'm going to be a father." He nervously ran a hand through his hair. "But we aren't even married."

At that, all the tension I felt suddenly just snapped and I burst out laughing.

"What?"

"I just told you we're going to have to take care of a new, living, breathing human being and your first thought is that."

"I know, it's old fashioned of me, but a woman from my type who wasn't married and had a baby wouldn't be thought of very well. I just want to protect your honor."

My laughter died in my throat. "That's…so sweet." I sighed, being reminded once again why I loved him and didn't deserve him. "How can you be so selfless?"

The more I talked the more he seemed to get confused. "What?" He repeated. "I just want to protect you."

"I know. And that's why you're selfless. This has to be a hard thing for you to process, but the first two things you worry about are my health and my honor."

"That's because I care about you. Of course I'm shocked and mildly terrified," He admitted, gently placing a hand on my shoulder. "But you are my first priority."

"I don't deserve you. I-" He cut me off with a kiss, and I forgot everything I was going to say. Just seconds later, he pulled away and smiled at me.

"I love you." He told me, his forehead resting against my own. "And I'll love our child."

"I love you too." I breathed, relief washing over me. Enveloped in my own personal bubble of happiness with Steve, I could finally picture it. I could picture the two of us raising a child, watching him grow together while we grew old. It was a beautiful picture, especially when I envisioned the baby as boy who looked just like Steve, with the same piercing blue eyes and dusty blond hair.

For the next several hours, Steve and I talked about details and plans for the future. He wanted to get married soon, still believing in the idea of reputation, and then for us to buy a bigger apartment. After that, we'd decorate a room for the baby so we could be ready. Neither of us knew shit about children, so we didn't really know what we were supposed to do, but I was glad we were together on it. In the past, we'd never mentioned children, especially since I hadn't wanted them, but the more we talked the more I got the feeling Steve had always wanted them. Despite the war going on outside our windows, Steve and I planned as if we knew we were going to live, which really wasn't a given. Nevertheless, thinking negatively would only hurt us, so we didn't bother with us.

That night, I slept peacefully with Steve by my side, feeling more happy and free than I'd been the whole month. I wanted to believe that the way was all sunshine from there, but a sinking feeling in my gut told me that wouldn't be the case. The man from the bomb site's words still haunted me, making me fear what unknown thing could be coming. If the terrorists were planning something, it would likely happen soon. And one of my friends would likely get hurt.

In the morning, I woke up late and ate breakfast with Steve before he had to go to a meeting. The rain still fell outside, encouraging me to continue my impromptu hiatus of the lab. I needed some days off, and I decided that time would be now.

I took a quick shower and put on a loose, navy v neck and high waisted shorts to lay around all day in. I didn't bother much with makeup or hair, simply pulling the black strands into a ponytail and applying a little mascara and eyeliner.

I flipped on the TV and plopped down on the couch, setting my laptop on my lap. The news wasn't particularly exciting, so I changed it to a Spanish soap opera channel because, hey, why not. I mostly tuned out the show while I researched pregnancy, something I'd been putting off for too long. Now that I'd accepted it, though, I needed to know more before I went crazy. I couldn't stand that there was something happening in my body that I didn't understand.

I managed to skim over all the 'possible ways this could go wrong' and really figure out the facts of everything, until I found an article that stopped my heart. It was on a basic site about pregnancy, but it focused on something I hadn't ever heard about: not drinking while you're pregnant. I'd never heard anything about that before, so when I read that excessive drinking of alcohol early in a pregnancy could lead to a lot of defects in a baby, I freaked out. My first instinct was to glad the bottle of vodka I'd set on the table to calm myself, but I couldn't do that. The idea of living without alcohol was terrifying, yet even worse was the new image that was forming in my head. No longer did I see a little boy with blue eyes and blond hair running around a lawn, I saw a deformed child with no eyes to speak of and a misshapen head lying in a hospital bed, dying because of me. Maybe the image was an exaggeration, but I shook in fear at the thought of it.

My body started to shake uncontrollably and I slid from the couch to the floor, wrapping my arms around my legs. I was panicking, drowning in emotion and fear, and the reminder that I couldn't drink to calm down only made it worse. I couldn't survive without drinking, but my child would suffer if I drank. It was a cruel circle without a solution. My panic only increased.

I put my head between my knees, trying to take deep breaths. I was drowning, suffocating, dying. I couldn't do this, I couldn't, I… could. Slowly, I could feel my heart rate returning to normal and control retuning to my mind. I let out a shaky breath in relief.

Fishing on top of the cushions for my phone, I grabbed it and held it in my still shaky hands. I hated to ask for help, but I felt like I just couldn't handle it right now. My first instinct, as always, was to call Steve, but I didn't know what I'd tell him. 'Hey, Steve, guess what? I just found out it's my fault our child could have a lot of problems, and now I'm struggling not to ruin his life more.' I knew he wouldn't, but I felt like Steve would blame me, and I already felt guilty. Besides, right now I was struggling not to be selfish, and he was too selfless to understand how that felt. The only one who understood alcoholism was Tony. Was I so low as too ask him for him? Yes.

I slowly clicked on the dial button for Tony, and he picked up on the first ring.

"What?" He asked in a bored tone. I didn't let myself be put off by it.

"I need to talk and I-" The door to my apartment slammed open, stopping my shaky words. I whipped around, eyes widening when I saw the three men in black hoods.

Screaming, I scrambled back, trying to get away from them. I eyed my purse across the room, inside which I kept a variety of self defense weapons. There were tasers and pepper sprays and little exploding flash hand grenades, but none of it was doing me any good from across the room.

"Nika?" Tony asked on the phone, now sounding alert and very concerned. "What's going on?"

I didn't have time to reply because one of the men pulled a gun from him pocket and I bolted from the room. I ran into the bedroom and locked the door, feeling my heart beating out of control in my chest. I pushed the dresser against the door, trying to blockade it, and ran to the window. I'd never had a chance to notice before, but the window in our apartment didn't have a balcony like the one in the living room; it just opened to empty air.

With the men pounding on the door and the window a steep plummet to my death, I was totally helpless. I looked around the room, applying my focus to figuring out a solution so I didn't panic. With my purse outside, the main 'weapons', though I hated that term, I owned were outside of my little domain. All I could think of that I had here were the heavy, hard wooden shelves lining one of the walls.

Shoving all the shit from the shelf onto the floor, I hefted it in my arms like a club. The thing weighed more than I expected, so thirty seconds later when the men broke into my room I was struggling to even lift it.

They charged at me, and one fired his gun. I blocked the shot with the shelf, glad when it just sent off an electric pulse and I realized it was simply a stun gun. The gun quickly because the least of my problems when the two men came at me. They carried no weapons, but struck at me with obvious hand-to-hand combat experience.

I tried to block the blows with my impromptu weapon, but my movements were too clumsy to be effective. One of the men lungde at my side, so I swiped at him with the board. Too late I realized my mistake, and the other man hit my exposed wrist. I dropped the board on instinct, retracting my hand.

They tossed the shelf aside, and I was completely without weapons. I couldn't possibly beat two trained men, but I bared my fists and tried to look threatening.

One of the two struck out, and I blocked it with my forearm. It hurt like hell, but I was a smidge proud of myself. Too proud, since I almost missed it when the other man went for a punch in my gut. I fell aside just in time, heart racing when I realized what could've just happened. If he'd had hit me in the stomach: I could've lost my child.

A surge of protectiveness washed over me, but my moment of thinking had been too much. I didn't see the foot coming, and I was knocked out cold by a kick to the head. I slumped to the floor, remembering nothing else.


	23. Chapter 23: What Plan?

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for the follows and reviews! Disclaimer: Same same**

The cold stone floor was the first thing I felt as I began to regain consciousness. My eyes shot open and I looked frantically around, trying to remember what had happened. I remembered freaking out and calling Tony, men entering my apartment, and being knocked out. After that, everything was too foggy.

I rubbed the sore spot on the back of my head as I slowly rose to my feet, checking out my surroundings. Just like when I'd been abducted before, I was in some sort of basic jail cell. A bright light above me illuminated the three pieces of furniture in the room: a toilet, a sink, and a plastic cot with a ratty blanket. There were no windows in the space, not even on the door, so I didn't have any idea what was outside.

Sighing, I lay down heavily on the cot and stared at the ceiling, my mind whirling. I hated not knowing what was going on, so I tried to hypothesize in my head what could have happened. Most likely, the terrorists had kidnapped me, but I didn't know for what reason. It seemed probable that it was either as leverage against the Avengers or as revenge for the Erthymen's death. That or they wanted me to build something for them, like terrorists had done to Tony all those years ago.

Shouting down the hall pulled me from my thoughts.

"Please! Let me go!" A woman's voice wailed. She sounded familiar, but I just couldn't place her voice.

"Shut up!" A man said in a deep voice. I couldn't see him, but I could imagine him as a big, muscley dude and I understood why the woman was so scared.

I heard the sound of a key being inserted in my door, and my eyes widened in fear. I scrambled to the back of the cell, holding my arms across my stomach. It wouldn't do me any good against whoever walked in, but it made me feel safer to be far from the door. Perhaps when the man opened it, I could bolt around him or something.

The door swung open and that plan quickly fell from my head. The man standing there was fucking huge; his bicep was probably the size of my head. With an icy glare from his steel gray eyes, he gestured for me to follow him.

He stepped aside and I could see who the other prisoner was: Pepper Potts. She looked at me with her eyes wide with confusion and fear, an expression I probably mirrored.

"This way." Gorilla man said gruffly, continuing down the hall and expecting us to follow. Knowing whatever would happen to me wouldn't be pretty, I complied.

"Hello Pepper." I muttered, falling into step beside her. She thankfully didn't look too beat up beside a few scratches and bruises.

"Nika... What's going on?" She said shakily. It was strange to hear her speak my name, since she normally avoided me like the plague. It never felt personal, but I knew that the fact I was Tony's daughter made her feel uncomfortable. In the beginning, I'd wanted her approval and the snub hurt, but I slowly stopped caring. Pepper and I were very separate parts of Tony's life, and I was totally fine with that.

"I'm not really sure. I think they probably kidnapped us as leverage or something but now-" My little speech was cut off by the creaking sound of the gorilla man opening a different cell.

My jaw dropped when that prisoner walked out.

"Mr. President." Pepper said breathlessly. "They got you too?"

"Unfortunately, Miss Potts. They managed to get through all of the secret services and get to me on Air Force One."

I glanced between the two of them. "You know each other?" I asked, one eyebrow raised.

President Donahue nodded. "We've conversed at various events. I don't believe I have ever met you, however."  
"Nope I don't think so either." I confirmed, holding out my hand. "Nika Marianna."

"George Donahue." He replied, shaking my hand.

"Hurry up." Our guard barked, glaring at us. He'd already started walking and we hadn't noticed. Mutely, we hurried after him.

"So." I said once we fell into a comfortable pace. "They kidnapped the president right off Air Force One and –wait- didn't that happen to your predecessor? And Tony had to save him?"

"I believe Colonel Rhodes saved him, but yes, he was kidnapped."

"Secret services really needs to get their act together then." I said with a whistle. "Anyways, they went through all that trouble to get you, and then kidnapped us, and the question is: why? Out of all the people they could've kidnapped, why did they pick us? And what do they want with us?"

"I'm sorry to say I don't have the definite answers to those questions Miss Marianna-"

"Call me Nika; I'm not eighty years old."

"- but I believe they want to use us as leverage."

I nodded."Yeah that's why I thought too."

"Leverage against what?" Pepper asked, her brow furrowing. Ever since the president joined us, she'd gained a little composure, but I could tell she was still frightened.

"Idk. They probably want our side to give something up to get us back or to keep them from doing something. That's generally how leverage works."

"What do we do then?"

Before I could respond idk again, the guard stopped in his tracks, glaring at us.

"Listen up all three of you." He said, crossing his arms over his chest in a no nonsense fashion. "If you don't want to be beaten bloody by the time this is over, I suggest you shut up now and say nothing else."

"I don't know if you know who I am, but-"

"I know exactly who you are, Mr. President sir." The man sneered, cutting off Mr. Donahue. "But I don't give a damn. Shut your trap or I'll beat you just as bad as the others."

I didn't think that was a good idea, considering the president was eighty years old and probably wouldn't take a beating very well, but I knew Gorilla wasn't bluffing. Whoever he was, he seemed the type who waited for blood, and would take the first opportunity for it.

In silence, we three captives were led into a room with blinding lights facing us. I squinted, waiting for my eyes to adjust. Slowly, shapes became clearer and I recognized what this really was: a stage. I twisted around to see the backdrop, blood chilling when I saw four dead bodies in front of the logo of the terrorists.  
"Fucking hell!" I cursed, startled. I looked away before the carnage could turn my stomach; there was no point mulling over what was already dead and gone.

Across the room, I could hear the murmurs of a couple soldiers. Three of them nodded and walked towards us, forcing us to our knees and holding guns to our heads. My heart was beating wildly in my chest, but I honestly fared better than the others. I hid my fear, but Pepper's was written across her face. Her face was pale and I could see a bead of sweat on her forehead. It was so different from the usual composed Pepper that I felt genuinely sorry for her.

The president on the other hand looked calm, but I could tell he was in pain. I didn't know a lot about him, I'd never voted before, but I knew the other candidates used his age and fragility against him. He'd had both knees and a hip replaced, so I doubted being forced on his knees felt very nice.

A more important looking soldier strode onto the stage, his badges gleaming in the light. He was wearing his finest uniform, like this were some kind of show. I glared at him as he walked in front of me.

A little red button turned the camera on, and the man began to speak. "Good evening America." He said in a falsely cordial tone. "I hope you're having a lovely time sitting on your comfy couches while people across the world die painfully.

"You know who I am, or at least who I'm affiliated with, so let's just skip the introductions and move right onto business. I have some people with me who you may know." He moved to the side, putting us in full view of the camera. I wasn't sure how to react; was I supposed to smile? Look mad? I decided to just look at the floor with a neutral expression.

"Bask in the glory of your beloved president, your strong woman of the year, and the daughter of America's favorite playboy. Funny thing is, I just don't share the same love for them. Look at him," He said, gesturing disdainfully at the president. "A geriatric man who connived and cheated his way to the top with the help of your ill informed votes.

"And her," He moved on to Pepper, "Voted woman of the year by you pathetic American because what? She's the CEO of a company a man created? How pathetic."

I glanced up, making eye contact with him just as he got to me. I stared at him defiantly, though I knew that was probably a bad idea. "And her." He said drily, looking away from me and to the camera. "The bastard whore who happens to be smart. Out of all the people in your country, that was what you decided to idolize? It's foolish, all of it, and that's why your country is so horribly corrupt. That's why you need to be wiped from this planet before you pollute everyone else."

Wow, I thought, that was pretty harsh. I'd known that this reasoning was that led to the war, but I hadn't realized it was this crazy. These people were crazy, probably thanks to the Erthymen.

"And as a symbol of you being wiped from this planet, I'll take your precious celebrities' lives as an example. Enjoy looking at them now, because next time you see them, they'll be about to lose their heads."

The camera stopped recording and the speaker left the room. I glanced at the others, trying to figure out what they were feeling. I wasn't sure what I felt myself, which seemed strange. I'd been terrified so much lately that I supposed I was becoming immune to it. Besides, this sort of thing had happened before to Tony and the other Avengers and everything always turned out all right. Somehow, I felt sure this would turn out right too.

Gorilla Man returned us to our separate cells in silence, each too frightened or deep in their thoughts to speak. When my door locked behind me, I lay down on my cot and stared at the ceiling. For the next few hours, I grew bored enough to count the numerous cracks. Only halfway through, I'd counted253, but a commotion in the hall diverted my attention.

I rolled over lazily on my cot, listening to the conversation. I had a feeling I'd have time to count later. Through the thick walls, I couldn't really understand what the two men outside my door were saying, but I did hear my name several times. One man sounded angry, which worried me somewhat.

I sat up, feeling like I may want to try and be alert. The argument outside ended and I heard my door unlock. My heart pounded furiously, scared of what my come through.

A skinny little man with a lab coat and suspenders strode through the door, and relief washed over me. I could almost laugh at how opposite this was from what I expected. I relaxed, betting that the dude just had to take blood or something. He was shaking, so he probably was more frightened than I.

Without a warning, the man ran at me, knocking my body off the cot and pinning me to the floor. I didn't even have time to recover from the shock before he jammed an electric needle into my neck with ferocity.

I screamed, my body convulsing thanks to the electricity. It hurt like hell, and the pain just kept coming. The tech rammed the needle into my body over and over, smiling like a sadistic serial killer. The more I writhed, the more hysterical I became. I tried to wriggle away, but the boy had a surprisingly tight grip and I couldn't go anywhere. Despite my screaming, no help came. I was completely helpless, completely afraid.

After an eternity of blind pain, the boy finally stopped and got off me. He dropped the needle on the floor, staring at his hands like he couldn't believe what he'd just done. I rolled onto my side, unable to keep back the tears of relief. Curling up into a ball, I sobbed into my hands. What the hell had just happened?

For a couple minutes, the boy stood there in silence while I cried, watching me like a creep. I finally managed to get a hold of myself and I grabbed the side of the cot, pulling myself up and turning to face him.

His jaw hardened when we made eye contact and I flinched, instinctively fearing he'd hurt me again.

"It's your fault my master is dead." He snarled.

"What?" I asked, my voice small.

"The erthymen. He was my master." He stepped threateningly towards me and I pressed my back against the wall to get away. "He taught me everything I know, and his death is on your and the stupid Avengers' hands. I can't get to them, but I can get to you, and I need revenge."

"The erthymen wasn't a person; it was just a force. How do you avenge a force?"

"Don't you see?" The boy scoffed. "He was far more than 'just a force'. The erthymen doesn't work if it doesn't have a host personality."

"A what now?"Curiosity was slowly pushing fear into the back of my mind. Sure, the boy was obviously dangerous, but I'd yearned for information on the Erthymen forever, and here was my chance to find it out.

"A host personality." The boy said snobbishly, as if that were something everyone knew. I waited with bated breath for him to elaborate, and he thankfully complied. "On the planet where the Erthymen is from, thousands of forces like him lie dormant. They only activate like this one did if someone touches them, and they steal that personality."

"So," I asked, glad I'd met someone prideful enough to literally reveal everything. "The question then is whose personality did the Erthymen pick up?"

"More than one actually, but it's all irrelevant. Why do you care?"*

Damn it. "I just want to understand what made it so special that you came at me with an electric needle and stabbed me repeatedly. "

His eyes hardened and I flinched back, worried I'd said too much and he'd hurt me again. "You can never understand its greatness since you killed it. I should kill you too, an eye for an eye, you know?"

"Why haven't you?"

"I can't. They still need you alive for the plan to succeed. Only for a few days, however, then I'm allowed to kill you slowly."

"What plan?" I asked. I didn't dare to dream he'd actually tell me, because that shit only happened in movies, right? Wrong. My mouth gaped in shock as he revealed the whole plan.

"We going to kill the three of you, three symbols of American power, on their TVs. While their eyes are trained on the scream, we'll play a clip of flashing lights that the erthymen said would put most of the populace in pain and seizures. Once they're down, we slaughter the people in the city, ridding the world of this horrible county."

"How are you going to kill the entire American populace in like ten minutes?"

"We aren't. Your military will be watching as well, so while they're incapacitated, we'll steal their bombs and jets and weaponry. We may not have much left on our side, but you guys certainly have plenty. "

There were a thousand holes in that plan, but the boy seemed pretty proud of it. I betted it was just a last ditch effort to win. Nonetheless, the more I thought about it, the more I felt sure there was a possibility it could work. Now that I knew the plan, I had to stop it. But I had no idea how I could do that.

Before I could start to plan, something sliced my arm. I yelped, cowering against the wall and clutching the wound. On the floor, I could see a small knife which the boy probably threw. "What the hell?!" I asked, fear returning.

The boy strode towards me with murder in his eyes, but I couldn't back up anymore. He clutched my throat with his hand. I tried to pry it away, but his grip was once again surprisingly strong. "Don't think I've forgotten my hatred towards you, bitch." He growled, his eyes boring into mine from close up. They were rimmed red from crying? No sleep? I couldn't breathe so I didn't really get a chance to wonder. "I can't kill you now, but in three days you're all mine."

My visions began to blur at the edges and my struggling slowed down. I knew I was close to passing out when he suddenly released me and I fell to the floor. I hit the ground hard, gasping for breath.

The boy left the room and slammed the door behind him, leaving me alone. After a minute or two, I finally felt like I was breathing normally again and I shakily stood. I didn't really understand what had just happened, but I knew somehow I'd just found out more about the Erthymen and the plot of the terrorists. That seemed crazy, and I wondered if the boy was actually crazy. There was certainly something off about it.

I hauled myself onto the bed, lying down on the thin pillow. I placed one hand behind my head and the other on my stomach. I worried that something would happen to the baby with all the trauma that'd happened to me, but I didn't feel any different, so I assumed it was fine.

After all I'd been through in the day, I felt exhausted, so I quickly fell asleep. I drifted between sleep and wakefulness for several hours, partially owing to how uncomfortable my cot was and partially because my mind was too wired with thoughts to really sleep. I'd now learned that the Erthymen had someone's personality but whose? Who else hated the Avengers and America? There wasn't anyone I could think of, not in space. Besides that, there was also the problem that the whole country was going to fall to ruin if I didn't do something. I had to get out and warn everyone or try to stop it, but I didn't know how. I'd expected Steve or Tony to be here by now, but they still hadn't come. I knew they would, and I knew they cared, but time was running short and they needed to get us quickly.

I couldn't tell time in the cell, but at what I assumed was evening they slid a tray of food through a slit in the door. It was definite prison food: some sort of mashed vegetable, a crushed meatloaf, and some tired looking green beans, but I ate it with relish, having been starving for hours. When I'd finished, I felt more energized than ever.

I washed off the wound on my arm, wishing I had some type of bandage, and paced my cell, thinking to myself. Now that I was fully awake, I was seeing things in a different light. Rather than wait for my prince charming to save me, I needed to fix this myself. That was scary, but I knew I could do it. Things always turned out better when I did them myself anyway.

All I needed now was a plan, and slowly an exceptionally reckless one formed in my head. I wandered back and forth in the cell, perfecting the plan in my head. I knew it was crazy, but it would likely work, considering I'd come up with it. The plan went like this: I'd tell the Avengers where we were and tell them to come the morning we're executed. I'd tell them that the plan of the terrorists was to send the 'virus broadcast' and knock out everyone, including people in the military bases. If we waited long enough, the terrorists could be in position to attack and we'd hit them back and surprise them. As for the people watching TVs, I needed to figure out where the broadcast was planned to happen from and disable the signal. At that point, the terrorists army forces would be decimated, the three of us would be alive, and the population would be safe. It was a win win win.

Only problem was that the way to get it started involved a getting out of the cell and finding some way to contact the others. I placed a hand against the cut, which had begun to sting. As I glanced down at the slightly bleeding wound, an idea popping into my head.

I tapped the door of my cell, trying to catch a guard's attention. There were mutterings outside before I heard a key turning in the lock. The cell door swung open, revealing a stoic Gorilla Man on the other side.

I took a deep breath, gathering my acting skills. "Please, sir." I said in a pitiful voice. "Can I get a bandage for my arm?" I showed him the wound, pulling it out on the edges so it bled more than it normally would have.

His expression didn't change. "I'll bring you a bandage then."

I cursed inwardly, knowing that wouldn't help my plan. I improvised quickly. "But I need to wash it and disinfect it and stitch it up and then bandage it and-" I droned on, hoping he'd realize he couldn't just bring me the stuff.

He glared at me, one side of his face twitching. "Oh, fine, I'll take you to the infirmary. Just shut up!"

"Thank you, you're too kind!" Buried underneath my sweetness was sarcasm I hoped he didn't see.

Gorilla Man let me exit the cell and led me down the hallway, constantly looking back to make sure I was following. I took careful notice of my surroundings, filing the information away for if I needed it in the future. The compound seemed to be underground, with pipes lining the ceiling and columns holding up the ceiling intermittently. The faded lighting didn't do much to help me see the corner of the room, but from what I could see there were just desks, chairs, and office supplies. To the common person, this would probably just seem like some run down office.

Gorilla Man took me past the offices and into a small space with some cots and medical supplies. He tossed me a first aid kit and stood off in the corner, arms crossed over his chest.

With his eyes trained on me, I couldn't do what I'd planned. Instead, I had to do what I'd told him I was doing, starting with dousing it in alcohol to disinfect it. I hissed as the liquid burned at my arm, yet I knew what I'd have to do next was worse. I'd told the man I'd stitch it up, which it didn't really need. In his eyes, I could read the challenge that to prove I wasn't up to something, I needed to do everything I'd said.

With shaking hands, I tried to thread the needle. It took a few tries, but I finally got it hooked around the eye of the needle. I gulped, trying to steel myself as I brought the needle to my arm. I tried not to think how much this would hurt.

Just before the needle pierced my skin, someone knocked on the door and opened it. "Officer Radclif, may I have a word?" He asked, not even bothering to look at me.

Gorilla Man, or Officer Radclif as he apparently was called, threw me a warning glare and stepped into the hallway with his superior, leaving me alone. Knowing this was the opportunity I'd been waiting for, I sprung from the bed and started looking around. I knew I didn't have much time, so I took deep breaths to calm down and focus.

I was looking for some sort of communication device, or at least something electric. On the desk across the room, I spotted an old fashioned walkie talkie. It wasn't much, but it was the best I'd seen so far. I sprinted across the room, nabbed the walkie talkie, and sat back down on my bed.

By the time Radclif finished his conversation with the other dude, I had finished bandaging my arm and was waiting patiently on the cot. The walkie talkie was carefully stashed in the band on the side on my bra, which was carefully concealed by how baggy my prison clothes were.

Radcliff returned me to my cell, still constantly glancing at me with suspicion. I think he thought I was going to try to run off or attack him, but I wasn't that stupid. I knew in a match of physical strength, I'd always lose. That's why I used my brain instead.

Alone in my cell, I sat in the corner and pulled out my walkie talkie. I dismantled it and put it together again, trying to get a feel for how it worked. I'd never really worked with walkie talkies before, but like all technology, it came naturally to me.

Soon, I understood the walkie talkie well enough to start tampering with it, trying to find a new channel and extend the range. I had no idea where I was, but I hoped for my plan's sake that it was near New York or else I may not be able to contact the Avengers.

My perseverance paid off hours later when I finally managed to connect to the line I knew would connect straight to Avenger's tower.

"Hello?" I whispered, making sure I didn't alert the guards outside.

"Who is there?" A voice asked. The sound quality was low, but I could tell it was Thor.

"It's me. Nika. Where are the others?"

"My companions are about the city, searching for you and the other hostages. Are you within the wall?"

"What? No. I'm in some holding cell. Listen, I don't know how much time I have, so give them a message for me."

"What shall I say?"

"Tell them that I'll figure out where we are and tell them soon. The terrorists plan to execute us in three days, so as part of that plan, I want them to come get us just before it happens." I briefly explained the rest of the plan, trying to say as much as I could before I hung up.

"I will convey that message for you."

Footsteps sounded near my door and I instantly turned off the walkie talkie. I didn't dare risk myself again, not if I didn't need to. If they knew I'd contacted the Avengers, I'd be compromised.

I shoved the walkie talkie beneath my pillow and lay down, as if to go to sleep. I had a feeling it was probably late at night, though I had no way to tell. Even so, I couldn't manage to fall asleep. My mind whirled, as it often did when I lay down to sleep, and kept me awake. I thought about my plan, perfecting it in my mind, but I also thought about other stuff like the bomb in my lab, the coming war, Steve, and my baby. With all that in my head, I couldn't sleep at all.


	24. Chapter 24: Just Make Sure You Show Up

**A/N: I finished editing all the chapters today so I'll hopefully post one a day until the end! Hope you enjoy this chapter! Disclaimer: Still don't own Marvel though I do own Nika who's pretty chill**

The next morning, my mind was heavy with all the stuff I needed to get done and what little time I had to do it. I still needed to find out where we were and where the broadcasting room was, information that I wouldn't get easily. I had a plan on how to get the important information for the plan, but for it to work I needed a guard that was far more emotive than Gorilla. I hoped that somehow that day, I'd figure out a way to make it all happen, but I wasn't sure how it'd work just yet.

The door to my cell opened and I was moved to a nearby cell which was bigger. In the brief time I was dragged through the hallway, I tried to examine the guards, figuring out which one would be the most likely to give me information. By my vast experience with men, I could tell at least some of them would do it. Although a few of them were probably fine men, a good amount were scumbags. While I was paraded past their mess hall and into the next cell, I made eye contact with the possible candidates, giving them a small smirk.

All too soon, I was thrown into the cell and lost sight of the other guards. What I did see was the two other captives whispering in the corner.

"Pepper? Mr. President?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

"Oh hello Ms. Stark." The President said, glancing over his shoulder at me.

"Actually it's Marianna." I muttered, taking a seat beside the two of them.

A day in prison hadn't done either of them well; Pepper's hair, clothes, and makeup were mussed and messy and the president looked even older.

"So…what's up?" I asked, the silence lapsing between us.

Pepper gave me a strange look. "'what's up?'" She asked incredulously. "We're being held captive to be executed, that's 'what's up'."

I glanced around the corners of the room, looking for a camera. It wasn't a very high tech establishment, so there was nothing on the walls besides faded paint and dirt. "What's up is that I have a plan."

"A plan for what?" Pepper asked, nervously brushing her unkempt hair behind her ear.

"Ending this whole plot?"

"What 'plot'? What details do you know, Miss…ah… Marianna." The president asked.

"Yesterday after they sent the first broadcast, some psychopath scientist kid came in and yelled at me for killing the Erthymen. He slowly slipped into telling me the whole plan, weirdo he is, and I have a counterplan." I waved them closer, lowering my voice. "I called the Tower."

"What?" Pepper's eyes widened in surprise and what I thought was hope. "How? What did they say?"

"I'm getting to that. Thor was the only one there, so I told him to tell the others to come get us before the execution."

"Wait," The President said, holding up his hands. He paused to cough before speaking again. "You didn't even tell us what their plan or your plan is?"

"Eh." I shrugged. "It's not important for you to know. All you need to know is that we're going to be fucking saved."

"Nonetheless, I'd like to know a few more details, so perhaps my mind will be put at ease. I'm sorry, but I don't know you well enough to trust you with my life. You were accused of being a traitor, if you recall."

My jaw hardened and humor faded. "I'm not a traitor. And after that jackass comment, I don't feel inclined to say anything. You kinda have to trust me, unless you've got a better plan?" I snarked.

The President clenched his jaw. "I just would like to be informed."

"Too bad."

"Let's calm down." Pepper said placatingly. "I trust Nika, if that's enough Mr. Donahue, but if that's not enough, I'm sure she'll tell us if we ask nicely."

"Fine." The President said with an exasperated sigh. "Miss Marianna, could you please tell me the plan you have formed?"

"Of course." I told him with fake gallantry. I proceeded to explain the fragmented plan I had, being sure to make it sound more thought out then it was. Neither of them interrupted, instead just nodding occasionally. Pepper seemed to cling to my words, looking relieved, but the President was far more skeptical. I could see his mind forming questions about the holes in my plans- holes I didn't want to talk about.

A knock on the door interrupted our talking just before he opened his mouth to ask those questions. One of the soldiers held three bowls and he placed them on the floor beside the door. The smell of food tempted my empty stomach, but I had to focus on the soldier first. I recognized him from back in the hallway as a potential candidate. He was tall yet slim, walking with a cocky swing in his step and a confident look in his eyes. He reminded me of a thousand boys in high school who were all douchebags. They were the types that thought so highly of themselves that they put themselves above all else. They'd do anything to make their lives better, at the expensive of everyone else or especially the expense of other girls. Maybe it seemed odd that I could tell all that about him with one glance, but I was good at figuring people at and I'd met plenty like him.

His eyes flickered to me before closing the door and I shot him a smirk, which he returned. Pepper and Donahue didn't notice the exchange, instead grabbing the bowls and inspecting them when he left.

"What is it?" I asked, now paying attention to my growling stomach.

"Uh…" Pepper paused, squinting at it. "Soup? I can't tell."

"Soup in prison?" I asked quizzically. She shrugged.

We each grabbed a bowl and started eating, for sustenance rather than pleasure if we were honest with ourselves. The soup tasted like cardboard and sewer water, and I wondered if that was what it was made of.

When my bowl was empty, I put it down and looked around the cell for something to write with. "Pepper?" I asked, "Do you happen to have a pen or paper?"

"No." She replied, checking inside her blazer. I repeated my question to the President, not expecting him to actually deliver.

He dug around in his blazer for a moment before fishing out a nice ballpoint pen. "Here."

"Thanks." I told him halfheartedly, taking the pen. I unwrapped a piece of bandage from my arm and ripped it off, placing it against the wall so I could write on it.

 _'I have a proposition for you. Come talk to me later -N'_ I wrote in neat print. I hoped to give it to the guard from before, assuming he came to pick up the dishes. If he didn't, I hoped it would be another one of the guards I'd spotted who seemed likely to be out for himself. It was a long shot, but I felt in my gut that it would work. It had to, for the sake of the plan.

"What are you doing?" Pepper asked, her eyes following me as I placed the note in my empty bowl.

"Leaving the guard a note. I have to get some information."

"How do you know he'll tell you anything? What if he alerts the officers that you asked?"

I smirked with false confidence. "Just trust me. I can read men like a book."

"I really hope you know what you're doing."

"I do too." For once, I let veneer of confidence collapse.

Five minutes later, the door opened and the same guard from before grabbed the bowls, mine on top. I saw his eyes glance over my note and slip it into his pocket. He didn't say anything to me but he nodded slightly when he looked at me. As he slammed the door behind himself, I mentally cheered myself on. I was too good.

President Donahue seemed to hate my guts and Pepper hated what genes made up my guts, so I sat across the room in silence, watching them talk. They seemed boring as fuck, talking about legal stuff and whatnot, but it was better than being silent and alone. I sighed, wishing I could speed up time. I filed that idea for later.

Putting one hand on my slightly raised stomach, I lost myself in my dreams for my family and my projects. Even when this war was coming to the end, the coming war shadowed my future, and I frowned. In a year, I'd be a mother, and I didn't know how I'd manage that along with being in a war. Especially since Steve would be fighting and I would be worried for him while being all alone. The prospect frightened me, so I quickly switched the subject in my head.

A quiet tap sounded on my door and I was jolted from my daydreams. Pepper and the President looked at each other, then at me for confirmation that it was what they thought. I shrugged, not knowing either.

Walking over to the door, I knocked quietly back, alerting whoever it was that I was there. The guard from before stood there, and he gripped my arm and pulled me out of the cell without a word. He dragged me down into a closet down the hall, checking over his shoulder to make sure there weren't any other guards.

With only a little light from the crack under the door, I couldn't see anything but the whites of his eyes.

"What do you want?" He asked, his breath hot on my face. I wished I could back away, but there was only so much room in the closet.

"I need information and I'm willing to give you something in return for it."

"What information? And what's the reward?"

"Simple stuff." I hesitated, feeling a little wary. Could I really trust this guy? Probably not, but it was too late now. "And the reward could be money, power, whatever you want. I know powerful people."

"What do you want to know?"

"Where are we and where is the control room?"

He stroked the stubble on his face, seeming to be thinking things over. "I don't know. How will I know that you'll give me the money after this? What if you're lying?"

"You know who I am. You can track me down."

"That's not enough."

Fear that this wouldn't work began to creep up on me, but I pushed it away, maintaining my confident façade. "Then what is? How can I prove to you that I'll keep my promises?"

"By redeeming one now."

"What?" At first, I didn't have any idea what he was talking about. Then, in the dim light, I caught sight of the hungry look in his eyes. My heart pounded, knowing what that meant.

"I want the money of course, but first I want you."

Two years ago, I would've accepted without a second thought, not unwilling to have sex with whoever asked. Yet now, I was in a steady relationship and I was pregnant, so it just seemed wrong. I couldn't imagine how upset Steve would be, even if I'd done it for a good reason. He'd pretend to be okay with it for that reason, but secretly he'd look at me differently. I couldn't take that.

"That's not up for offer." I ground out, trying to back up when his face neared mine.

He frowned, pulling away. "You know, I don't even have to make a deal; I can't do whatever I want to you."

He was right, and I couldn't help but be scared. "If you do that, I'll scream and your friends will come running. I doubt some of them will react well to you raping one of the prisoners."

"They won't care." He scoffed, but I sensed a bit of nervousness under his confidence. He was lying.

"Are you sure about that?" I asked him, eyes narrowing.

He glared back, his jaw clenched. "Fine. But understand I'll tell you nothing now."

"I understand." I told him firmly, though I was sorely disappointed and worried. How would I get the information now? I'd have to come up with a new plan.

The dude took me out of the closet and tossed me back in the cell without another word. I turned back, nearly changing my mind, but the door was already gone. I cursed under my breath.

"What happened?" Pepper asked, eyes trying to read my expression.

I sighed. "It didn't work, I'll have to try something else."

"I had a feeling it wouldn't work." Donahue mused. "Your plan did have many holes."

"Oh shut the fuck up." I snapped, too aggravated by my failure to put up with shit from him. Perhaps he was the President of the country and I should've respected him, but I just couldn't deal with the fact he was an arrogant prick. I'd never liked politicians, and this was no exception.

"Now Nika, let's not fight. We all are in this together." Pepper said gently, trying to rectify the situation. I put a hand over her mouth, throwing her an apologetic look. It wasn't that I didn't want her to talk, it was that I could hear voices outside the door and I needed to hear what they were saying.

I crept to the door, placing my ear against it. My ears perked up at my own name, but the rest was hard to understand. I knew what they were speaking wasn't English, but I was confused by how similar yet different it was from my other tongue, Spanish. It took a second but I gasped when I realized what it was- they were speaking Portuguese!

I didn't speak Portuguese, but it was close enough to Spanish, which I was fluent in, that I could kind of make out what they were saying.

"O que ela pedir?" One of the guards asked. (what did she ask?) *

"Para" I missed the next few words, then understood again. "Ela queria saber onde a sala de controle é." (For… she wanted to know where the control room is)

The other guard laughed a deep throaty laugh. "Que estranho." He exclaimed. "tinha ela desmaiou quando você arrastou-a de metro da cidade?" (That's weird… she had fainted when you dragged her from the city subway?)

"Sim, Ela foi batido na cabeça por Bellachini." (Yes, she was hit in the head by Bellachini)

"Eu não iria querer isso para qualquer um." I frowned, not sure what that meant. (I would not want that for anyone)

"Eu poderia vencê-lo." (I could beat him)

"Não, você não poderia." (No you couldn't)  
They lapsed into playful banter and I stopped listening, my brain too tired for translating at such high speeds. Nonetheless, I was glad I had. Now I knew where I was. I'd alert the Avengers as soon as I could.

My heart flipped in my chest when I remembered I'd been moved into a different cell, and my makeshift walkie talkie was back there. I sank down against the door, annoyed by yet another complication to my plan. This certainly wasn't going as smoothly as I'd wanted.

Pepper shook her head at me. "You're so like Tony. I have no idea what you're doing."

"Luckily for you I do know what I'm doing. I just need to get back to my cell and talk to the Avengers." I snapped, an idea coming to mind. "And I know just how to make that happen."

"How?" Pepper asked warily. "I don't like that look in your eyes."

"That's probably for the best. Alright, so," I walked over to them, placing one my on my hip. "I need one of you to hit me."

They looked at each other, and I thought I saw a little bit of a sadistic gleam in the old man's eyes. He wants to hit me, I thought with a laugh. The feeling was somewhat mutual, though I'd never hit someone so old. He'd probably collapse or something and I didn't want to break my vow of never killing someone again.

"Why would we hit you?" Pepper asked.

"Because then we'll be separated and go back to our cells."

"Is there no better way?"

"Not that I can think of." I rolled my eyes. "Just hit me already."

Neither of them moved. I raised an eyebrow at the President. "I expect Pepper to not do this, but you to?"

"I would never hit a woman."

"Oh come on you sexist pig! Do you want to die?! I'm trying to save you!"

He ignored my words, instead just looking at his hands.

"Oh fine!" Pepper said, standing up nervously. She walked towards me, balling her fist and raising it to swing.

"Wait!" I told her, grabbing her fist. I fixed it so her thumb rested outside the fist rather than in, so she wouldn't break her thumb. She obviously hadn't punched anyone before. "Okay. Now we're good. Go for it!"

She hesitated, eyes wide with indecision. Suddenly, her expression hardened and she pulled her fist back before jamming it into the side of my face. After being punched plenty of times in the past, her fist felt like a butterfly caressing my face. It took all my restraint not to laugh.

"Ow!" I screamed. "How dare you, bitch! This isn't my fucking fault, it's yours." I stared at her, urging her to say something in response. She froze up, giving me a confused look.

Donahue stepped in. "This isn't her fault! It really is yours! You don't deserve to live; we might as well rid the world of you now." He said, his voice made strong by faked anger.

I hit my fist against my hand and screamed in pain, pretending to be hit. "Oh you're going to regret that." I threatened, pushing Pepper against the wall with a thud.

Before we could get any further, which would've been hard with Pepper's poor acting skills, the door burst in. "Hey!" Gorilla man said, pulling me away from Pepper. His grip bruised my arm and wriggled, trying to break free. "What do you think you're doing here?"

"Killing that asshole for you." I ground out.

"No." Gorilla man said firmly, his grip getting even tighter. I bit my tongue to keep from crying out. "None of you will die today. You must die in together in two days."

"I refuse to be in the same room as her and him unless they no longer breathe." I injected as much venom into my voice as possible, hopping I wasn't going overboard.

He seemed to believe it, and he nodded to his men, not letting go of my arm. "I'm taking her back to solitary confinement. You guys take the others back to their cells too." He looked back at me, loathing in his eyes. "I know what your plan is." He told me. I cursed inwardly, knowing he'd probably found the device under my pillow. "You want to kill each other now so you don't die dishonorably on TV. Well, I'm not going to let that happen. You're going back to your cell where you'll be forced to live until your debut. No prisoners are dying on my watch."

Relief washed over me; he didn't actually know my plan. I struggled weakly against him as he dragged me through the mess hall and back to my original cell. I could already feel an angry bruise forming on my upper arm where his fingers dug in.

With a push, he dropped me in the cell and locked the door behind me. I slowly stood, rubbing my sore arm. Being pushed around was getting real old real fast.

When I felt sure no one would open the door again, I rushed to my bed and pulled the walkie talkie from under the pillow. I fiddled with the dials, trying to find Stark Tower again. It took a minute, but, being a genius, I eventually found the right channel.

On the other end, I could hear Clint and Rhodes conversing, and my heart sank a little. Without realizing it, I'd sorely hoped Steve would be there so I could at least hear his voice. I missed him like crazy, though at least I now had a part of him with me. My hand flew absently to my stomach, resting over it protectively.

Shaking my head to clear it, I whispered into the radio, "Guys, l'm here."

The talking abruptly stopped. "Nika, is that you?" Clint asked.

"Yeah. I have new information."

"What is it?"

"I don't know exactly where I am, but I know we're underground in New York. The guy I talked to said they dragged me hear after they knocked me out, so it can't be far."

"Roger that."

"Speaking of Rogers," I said, trying to keep my voice firm. I didn't want this to be an emotional call, but I felt I needed to at least say something. "Tell him not to worry, if he is-"

"Oh you know he is." Rhodes remarked drily.

"-, because I've got this. I know what I'm doing."

"Do you?" Clint asked. For once, I didn't detect sarcasm in his voice. There wasn't even judgment, just plain old fashioned concern. He knew as I did that despite being an arrogant bitch sometimes, my life was actually a mess.

"I think so. Just make sure you guys show up."

I shut the device off, knowing the longer I talked the more I risked getting caught.

Sighing, I lay down on the cot and stared at the ceiling. My confidence in the plan was high, but I still felt a little nervous. My body ached for a drink as a release from all the chaos going on, but I knew I wouldn't get to drink anytime soon. The familiar panic welled up in my chest and I hugged myself, taking deep breaths to try and calm down. I didn't have time to panic, and I needed to focus.

Tightening my grip on myself, I closed my eyes and tried to focus on something- anything- else. I remembered the bomb waiting in my lab and began to think about it. For the billionth time, I shifted through the information I had on it, trying to make the connections I hadn't been able to thus far. It frustrated me that despite remembering most of what had happened, I still couldn't recall how I'd made the machine. I didn't know how it worked or how I could replicate the technology again.

I looked through the facts in my head, focusing on them rather than fear. I didn't expect to actually figure anything out, but suddenly, something in my head just clicked. My eyes flew open in surprise as I remembered how it all worked. I could've jumped for joy, screamed until my lungs gave out, but instead I just cried a few happy tears. I'd finally figured it out, which I hadn't been able to in months. The funny thing about being a genius was that shit like this always happened and something super complicated just clicks in my head.

Now I remembered it worked using the energy from the core that caused the space to form a type of black hole that wasn't really a black hole but couldn't easily be described any other way. Then, a mechanism within the bomb fired a laser into the mock black hole which caused it to destabilize and implode, taking miles and miles of area with it. The bomb wasn't exceptionally large, but it could take out an area larger than any atomic bomb.

Now that I knew how the technology worked, the only problem was finding a substitute for the core. Without the power the Erthymen gave, there was no substantial power source to fire the bomb. I racked my brain, mentally testing all the different possible sources I could substitute and manipulate.

Since I was stuck in my cell for two more days, I spent those days going through all the tests in my head. It took time and deep thought, which kept any anxieties I had at bay. I ate, slept, and thought nonstop, feeling very little emotion. I'd escaped the prison through my mind, and I couldn't be disturbed.

The morning of the execution came just like the previous two mornings had. It didn't feel much different, besides the new knot of nerves and fear in my stomach. That morning they didn't give us anything to eat, probably since we were going to die anyway, but my stomach protested, putting me in a bad mood.

I wasn't sure the hour, but sometime in the morning, Gorilla Man came to my cell and dragged me out. I walked voluntarily, not wanting another bruise on my arm.

The other two captives were taken out of their cells too, and we fell into step beside each other. I hadn't seen them since the day we'd been in a cell together, probably because they feared we'd attack each other, and I was glad to see friendly faces. Over the past few days, I'd been so starved for company that even talking to the president sounded fun.

"I hope your plan is still in motion." The president said. His voice was emotionless, but I thought I saw him shaking a little. I totally understood why; if I didn't have a plan, we were really going to die. If I'd been religious, I probably would've said a prayer or something.

They herded us into the room with the stage and lined us up in front of the camera. Pepper clenched her fists, obviously worried but trying not to show it.

"Don't worry." I whispered to her under my breath. "They won't let us die. I won't let you die."

She looked at my strangely, her expression softer than it ever been towards me. "Thank you." She said.

I smiled slightly. "Don't thank me quite yet." I muttered under my breath.

"You! Shut up!" The officer shouted at us. I resisted the childish urge to stick my tongue out at him.

A red light appeared on the camera, and I knew we were on air. I hung my head, hoping my expression wouldn't give anything away. I didn't want anyone to be suspicious.

The officer whispered something to his partner in rapid Portuguese that I didn't understand and stepped into the frame. He didn't say any words, just pulled a gun from his pocket.

My heart raced in my chest; I'd expected the Avengers to be here by now. Where the hell were they? If they came too late, maybe the plan would work but I wouldn't know because I'd be dead.

I expected the officer to give some sort of exposition before shooting, so I didn't panic too much. Until he pulled the trigger and a bullet shot through the president's head. I opened my mouth to scream, but I was too shocked for any sound to come out.

"There goes one symbol, America." The officer spat at the camera. He turned towards Pepper and she stepped back, horror written across her face. I heard the gun cock, and without a second thought, I pushed Pepper to the side.

An explosion rocked the building, throwing off his aim. I stood in nearly the same place as Pepper, but it only gazed my arm rather than my heart. Nevertheless, the bullet wound burned and pulsed, coloring my vision red with pain. I clutched it with my hand, cursing. I needed to focus if I wanted to keep the plan in motion, so I tried my best to block out the pain.

The officer and the other soldiers' focus now trained on their adversaries outside, so I snuck off towards the door.

"Ei!" One of the men said, noticing me. He aimed his gun at me.

"Look, I really don't have time for this." I told him. He cocked his head in confusion, so I repeated it in Spanish so he could understand. "Yo no quiero hacerte daño." I bluffed. (I don't want to hurt you)

"Eu tenho a arma." He told me in Portuguese. (I have the gun)

My eyes flickered to the control panel on which I just needed to press the button to turn it off. In the conversation of the soldiers before, I'd heard it had a timer of fifteen minutes before the virus would be broadcast and knock out the nation. It wouldn't affect the army if my friends had listened to me, but it still would seriously cripple the common people. I had to keep that from happening, I thought with a twinge of fear, even if it involved getting shot again or dying.

I considered trying to judo kick him and steal the gun or something, but I knew I couldn't. I had zero fighting skills; my only hope was to talk my way out of this. I decided to try the same method I'd used on the soldier the other day: bribery.

"Por favor, no disparen."I told him. I hoped he could understand my Spanish well enough. "Si no lo haces , te ayudaré más tarde. Te daré lo que quieras.." (Please, don't shoot … If you do not, I'll help you later. I'll give you whatever you want.)

"O que quer dizer?" (What you mean?)

"Dinero. Autoridad. Lo que sea. Voy a darle a usted si usted señala lejos el arma. Perderá todos modos." (Money. Authority. Whatever. I'll give it to you if you point away the gun. You will lose anyways)

He frowned. "Não, eu sou leal." (No, I am loyal)

I sighed; this wasn't going how I needed it to, and I needed to get it to the right place fast. "¿No hay algo que siempre has soñado ? Puedo darle a usted." (Is there something you've always dreamed of? I can give you)

Indecision flashed through his eyes. "Talvez -" (Maybe)

A hard knock to his head with a red, white, and blue shield caused him to fall to the floor without finishing his sentence. Steve stood behind the shield, breathing heavy from fighting but seeming otherwise alright.

"Thanks." I said, beaming at him.

"Anytime." He joked. His eyes fixed on something behind me and he tossed his shield over my head. I ducked, though it wouldn't have hurt me, and turned to see the metal hit one of the soldiers in the chest. He felt back, dropping the gun that'd been pointed at me.

"Shut down the console; I'll protect you." He told me, eyes flickering to the men entering through the door.

While he attacked them, bullets clinking against metal and metal against bodies, I tuned it out and focused on the controller. The computer screen lit up with a bunch of different programs, including the one showing the footage. In the corner of the screen, a countdown counted the moments until the virus broadcast would be shown and cause national disaster. I hacked into the system, trying to shut down the program. It took a few minutes, but with a sigh of relief, I shut off the whole program.

"It's gone. It's over." I told Steve, who'd knocked out the four men that entered the room.

"Finally." He said, his voice laced with relief.

I nearly smiled, giddy at the thought that perhaps now the war was really and truly over. Yet the wake of the war, with the President's body now added to the list, hung over like the aftereffects of an earthquake. Sure, the tremors were over, but the damage was done.

 _*I don't speak Spanish or Portuguese so all of the translations are from google translate lol. If you speak Portuguese and you see something wrong with it please tell me so I can fix it!_ _J_ _thanks_


	25. Chapter 25: I Think We Need to Calm Down

**A/N: Here's the next chapter- it's a bit of a long one. Hope you like it! Please leave reviews and tell me what you think :) Disclaimer: I will never own Marvel**

Newspapers hailed the end of the war two days later with the swearing in of the new president on the left of the front page beside the big headline picture of the underground fortress up in smoke. The whole country celebrated the end of it all, not knowing that another war was coming. I wished I could warn them, but none of the Avengers thought it was a good idea, and for once I agreed. It wouldn't help to have the nation in a full panic especially since we weren't even sure we could win.

In light of our victory, Tony found it necessary to throw a full on party. I felt excited, my love of parties showing through once again. Despite the dread of the next war, I did feel glad this war was over. I wanted a reason to just be happy for a little while and enjoy myself. I needed to let go and drink til I couldn't think, though, I knew I wouldn't get that luxury for another six months. If not for Steve's help, I doubted I'd really be able rid myself of alcohol.

The hours until the party wound down until one was left and I put the final touches on my look. My dress wasn't as sexy as I'd usually like, partially because of Steve and partially because of my slightly elevated stomach. Instead, my dress was covered in gold sequins to match the occasion and gathered around my neck in a halter style without synching at the waist. The hemline reached barely mid thigh, which I knew bothered Steve, but I was too excited about dressing up to care.

My makeup was darker than usual, smoky eyes accenting my deep brown eyes and a little bit of contouring bringing out my cheekbones. Even to myself, I looked more Latina than I usually did, and I kind of liked it. I didn't know my mother's family very well, but I still prided myself in that heritage.

"Are you ready to- " Steve asked, popping his head into the bathroom where I stood in front of the mirror. He stumbled at the end, taking in my appearance with surprise. "Wow. You look beautiful." He told me sincerely.

I beamed at him. "You don't look so bad yourself." I told him, straightening his tie. Even though he didn't seem very confident in it, he looked smoking hot in his tailored suit.

He fidgeted with the side of the jacket. "I miss my uniform."

"Is is selfish that I wish you didn't need to wear it? I wish the world could just be at peace for a little while."

"As much I love my job, I wish that could happen too. But it never will; never in the world's history has it ever achieved peace."

I put in gold hoops and put a few finishing touches on my makeup. "This is a new generation. We can evolve; we can change."

"I don't-"

I hushed him with a finger over his mouth. "I know, I know. You don't think humanity has gotten any better. But let's not talk about this stuff right now. Let's go have fun, forget about the world for a little while."

He smiled slightly. "I'd like that."

"Well then." I grabbed my purple purse and slipped on my stilettos, finally ready to leave. "Let's go."

When I reached my car, I ran to the driver's side, much to Steve's chagrin. It wasn't that he was sexist, he just thought my driving was reckless. Perhaps it was, but I'd never gotten in an accident so it didn't really matter.

I turned on the radio, flipping through the better channels. Steve and I switched off as was drove, one song being old swing music and the next being dance pop. He knew all the songs I played, but I knew he preferred his own music. I knew his too, after a year of being with him, so I didn't mind.

Flashing lights greeted us as we pulled up to the base of Stark Tower.

Steve sighed and I patted him on the shoulder. "It's only one night." I reminded him, knowing stuff like this still made him uncomfortable. "And I'll be around if you want to go early."

"No, I'll be fine." He told me, opening the door of the car.

We walked into the building arm in arm, ignoring the flash of paparazzi. Although we still hadn't officially announced our engagement, it was pretty much implied. And now that I wasn't public enemy number one, lots of people found it adorable. On the flipside, a lot of fangirls hated me but I didn't give a damn. I honestly found their rage kind of funny.

"How many people did Tony invite?" Steve muttered, taking in the herd of people around him. "The whole city of New York?"

"Practically." I jumped, turning to see Pepper standing behind us. "It took hours to send out all the invitations.

"Hello Pepper." Steve said, nodding cordially at her. He kept his hand around my waist, silently telling me he was on my side. He knew how Pepper felt about me, and how nervous that made me. "How are you?"

"Good. I'll survive at least." She told us, shifting on her feet. "I…came here to apologize."

My eyes flickered up to Steve's with shock, wondering if he'd heard that too. "Over what?"

"Its…I've…" She paused, brushing her hair behind her ear while she gathered her thoughts. "I never have been very kind to you, and I see now that I shouldn't have been."

"I understood why you did it. It's not every day you're forced to spend time with your boyfriend's bastard child." I understood, but that didn't mean I wasn't bitter about it.

She blushed a little at my bluntness. "No, it isn't I guess. But I always knew the day would come and I shouldn't blame you for it. Besides, you saved me back when we were kidnapped, so I'm grateful."

"You're welcome?" I was too caught off guard by it all to know what else to say.

Thankfully, some other guest caught Pepper's attention and she had to leave to talk to him.

"That was very kind." Steve told me, watching her go.

"Yeah. I certainly didn't see that coming. I've wanted her respect for so long… I never thought it'd actually happen."

"Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're going to get." He replied, falsely philosophical.

I burst out laughing, leaning into his side to muffle the noise. "Did you just quote Forrest Gump?"

He smirked at me. "Yes."

"I don't know why, but it sounds so much more ridiculous coming from you."

"Glad it makes you laugh."

When I finally got my laughter under control, we went upstairs to where the lounge and bar were. Somewhere along the journey, Steve got separated from me by some fan or other and I was alone. I felt strange without him by my side, as if a part of me were missing. It seemed wrong for me to be standing alone.

I decided to try and lessen that feeling by a few drinks, but stopped after a couple steps. I groaned internally, remembering my forced abstinence. With a sour expression, I sank down in a seat by the bar, watching everyone else drink and struggling to gain a hold on my restraint. I pictured the deformed child in my head, trying to scare my body into submission, but it didn't relieve the craving. I just wanted a drink, one little drink, and that wouldn't be so bad would it?

"What's got you so down?" Tony slid onto the bar stool beside me, sipping at a cocktail. I glared at him, hating that he was practically taunting me, even though he didn't know it. "Woah. If you want a drink, they're passing them around."

I removed my eyes from his drink, embarrassed he knew I was staring. I should've known; he noticed everything. Except maybe…

I sat up, a grin lighting up my face. While the need for alcohol was still present in my mind, I was able to push it away for more important things. Like surprising Tony for the first time.

"I can't have a drink." I told him primly.

He squinted at me, emptying his own drink. "Are you on some sort of detox shit?"

"Nope."

"Are you…" He thought for a second, running a hand through his hair. "In the middle of some bet?"

"Nope."

"Did Steve tell you to do it?"

"Nope." The more frustrated he became, the more smug my expression was. "I thought you'd have figured it out by now."

He glared at me. "I know what it is. I just want you to think you have the upper hand."

"Fine." I told him, taking a step as if I wanted to walk away. I knew his curiosity would beat out his pride and he wouldn't let me go.

"Wait." His voice was coated in reluctance. "Tell me."

"Are you sure? I believe my information could be categorized as a _surprise_." I emphasized the word 'surprise', knowing he knew the gravity of it. Excitement welled up in me; I finally was going to beat Tony. The student had become the master.

His eye twitched. "No, never mind. I'll figure it out. You aren't going to win." He stalked off, telling FRIDAY something in his phone.

"Good luck!" I told him sarcastically, grinning.

I turned back to the bar, pulling my phone from my pocket. Despite the drinks around me, my spirits were now lifted enough that I could resist the temptation.

I texted Wanda, asking where she was and then again Pietro. Although he'd been gone a whole ten minutes, I still couldn't see Steve anywhere. I decided to go and socialize, something I hadn't done enough lately.

I scanned the crowd, looking for familiar faces. Scattered amongst the crowd, there were a hundred celebrities and famous faces, but none of which I personally knew. I considered introducing myself to one of them, but then I caught sight of a familiar set of blue eyes and blonde hair.

"Courtney?" I breathed, eyes wide with surprise. I knew she'd gained a lot of fame for becoming a reporter on GMA, but I didn't know she was big enough to be here.

We made awkward eye contact across the room, and she smiled. Saying something to the boy beside her, she took his hand and walked towards me. Even under pounds of makeup, her face was easily recognizable to me, but the boy's took a minute. Then, it clicked.

I stood up abruptly, filled with the urge to run. I knew that face all too well; it was the face of my ex, the one I'd actually loved. I'd likely remember his messy brown hair and hazel eyes for the rest of my life, remembering him as my first heartbreak. I'd hoped I wouldn't ever have to see him again.

"Oh Nika!" Courtney said, pushing herself past the last group of people and throwing her arms around my shoulders. "I should've known I'd see you again!"

"Hey Courtney." I said, feigning interest when really I was just staring at Kevin. "It's nice to see you."

"Me too! I thought you'd forgotten me after that one call. You really scared me with that," She playfully nudged my shoulder. "I thought you were dead." I remembered that call, though it seemed so long ago. That was right before I'd been kidnapped with Jane and escaped.

"I wasn't."

"Duh!"

Kevin cleared his throat and Courtney turned around, remembering he was there. She paused, looking between the two of us, probably remembering our history. She'd had a front side seat to it back in the day, ever listening to me cry and talk about him. At the time, though, she'd told me she thought he was a dirty skunk bag. Apparently that view had changed.

"So…" Courtney said, sensing the awkward tension. I wished I could just sink into the ground and avoid the feeling looking at Kevin brought to my chest. I couldn't tell if it was repulsion or the reminiscent fragments of love or a mix of both, but I didn't want to feel them. I'd come here to have fun, and Kevin was the opposite of fun.

"Hey Nika." Kevin said, his melodious voice freezing my thoughts.

"Uh, hey Kevin." I said, clearing my throat to hide the shakiness.

"It's the high school gang back together." Courtney put a hand on each of our shoulders, beaming at us like that was supposed to be a good thing.

"I'd like to forget high school, if you don't mind." Kevin said, taking a sip from his glass. His eyes stayed on me and not Courtney, unnerving me.

"Courtney?" A young woman cried from a few feet away. She ran up and firmly shook Courtney's hand, a small smile on her face. "I didn't think I'd see you here. Come on, now's the perfect time to discuss the piece for Friday on the party. I was thinking maybe we could…" She droned on, walking away with Courtney tailing her. She glanced over her shoulder at the two of us with concern, but she had to follow the woman away anyway. And I was left alone with my ex.

"So, how come you are here?" Kevin asked, sinking into one of the bar chairs. He set down his glass on the bar, putting his full attention on me.

"My father owns the place, of course I'm invited."

He rose an eyebrow in surprise. "Your mystery father is that prick Tony Stark?"

"Yeah…didn't you know that? It's been like a major part of the news for years."

"I wouldn't know. I've been out of the country for over two years now in a secluded island on the Bahamas. We didn't get a lot of news there, but we sure did get a lot of surf."

"How come you're here then?"

"Courtney invited me." He said nonchalantly, overacting that it was nothing. I knew he was lying.

"Are Courtney and you together?"

"Not really…" He said, looking away from my eyes. I knew that look, so I knew he was lying.

"Mhm sure." I snorted, looking away from him. I tried to ignore the fluttery feeling him looking at me gave me, knowing how treasonous that was. Not only had this guy treated me like shit for a year, but I also was being unfaithful to Steve. I should have eyes for him and him alone, but I couldn't deny I felt attraction to Kevin.

"I promise. I'm free." He placed a hand over mine smoothly, a flirtatious smirk on his face. "If there's anything you want to do."

I hated myself for how long I let him touch me, staring at him. I wanted him, much like I had years ago. Sex had been one of the most crucial components of our relationship, especially for him. And it'd been hella good.

Regaining my self control, I snatched my hand away. "Don't you touch me, you fucking bastard!" I hissed at him.

"Woah. You still mad? Come on, it's been years."

"Still mad? _Still mad?!_ Are you kidding me? You cheated on me with that slut next door and mostly kept me around as a fuck buddy. I loved you, Kevin, despite your flaws. How could you throw that away?" Slowly, I was working myself into anger. I never really had gotten to express my anger to Kevin, especially since he totally cut me out when we broke up.

"Come on Nika, don't pretend it wasn't your fault. You were so needy; I felt like I couldn't ever get away from you."

"That was because I wanted to be around you. I thought you liked to be around me too, but I know that was wrong. I was blind."

He crossed his arms over his chest defensively. "I didn't come here to fight. I thought you'd be over with that petty high school stuff and want to have a little fun."

"It wasn't petty to me; it was everything!"

People began to look our way and I sweated under their gazes. I hated to be stared at, and in my already emotionally unstable mood, I felt I couldn't take it for a second.

I pushed past the crowds and away from Kevin out on the balcony of the tower. The wind on my face sobered me a little, but I still felt as if I were on the brink of panicking. I raced to the railing of the balcony, clutching onto it for dear life. There were a few people milling around, but I tuned them all out, stuck in the confines of my mind.

I took deep breaths, trying to calm my racing heart. It wasn't working, and I slowly felt myself losing grip. I couldn't control myself or my body, and my breathing started to hitch. I leaned my total weight onto the railing, scared to death. The world seemed to fall around me and I just wished it could be over. I wanted it to stop, but it just wouldn't.

"Nika? What's wrong?" A feminine voice asked, walking up behind me. It took me a second to realize it was Wanda, and I could've cried with relief. There was no one I'd rather have around when I was having a panic attack besides my best friend. Even her presence already made me feel as if I was coming back into focus within my own body. The world slowly felt a little less hopeless.

"I just…" I breathed, struggling to talk with my throat constricted. Wanda frowned, placing a hand on my shoulder. The attack began to fade quickly, and I noticed the red glow surrounding me.

Once it finally all passed, I collapsed into a heap on the ground, feeling exhausted. Wanda knelt beside me. "Are you okay now?"

I nodded shakily. "I'm getting there. Thank you."

"I'm glad to help." She waited a minute or two for me to catch my breath before she began to speak again. "What happened?"

"I talked to Kevin."

"Who is Kevin?"

I glanced around, not really wanting to talk about it in public. Wanda caught the hint and helped me to my feet, taking me inside to her room so we could talk in peace.

Each Avenger had a room in the Tower, but I'd never been to Wanda's before. The walls were painted a deep shade of red, reflecting the color of her magic. The furniture was modern but in deep shades of gray and black like a vampirish feel. On tabletops and chairs, books littered the space. If I hadn't been so worn out, I would've curiously looked at the titles, but instead I just pushed them aside and sat down heavily.

Wanda left briefly, coming back with a cup of coffee for herself and me. I accepted it gratefully, taking a shaky sip.

"Now, tell me." Wanda demanded gently, settling down in the chair across from me.

I took a deep breath before spilling all that I'd kept in. "Back in high school, I loved Kevin. He was the first man I ever loved. Despite this, he barely even saw me in the beginning as anything but a piece of meat and he never loved me. He dated me because I was hot and occasionally fun to be around, never realizing how much that hurt me. I spent a year with that douchebag, letting myself be treated like shit without putting up any fight. I thought it was my fault somehow- that I wasn't good enough. That was when I began the spiral into drinking and depression. I began a bad habit and…hell, I haven't stopped. After we broke up, I got even worse. I got addicted to drugs and eventually heroin to forget it all."  
She frowned thoughtfully at me. "I never knew you were addicted to drugs."

"It's not really something I tell people. Only my mom, Courtney, and Steve ever knew." It occurred to me then that I hadn't seen Steve in an hour. I'd have thought he'd have known about my episode by the bar, but maybe he hadn't found out yet. In any case, I wished he were here with me. Wanda was my best friend and I felt safe around her, but Steve was the love of my life and his comfort was everything to me. I wasn't even sure I'd ever really told him about Kevin or any of my exes besides the fact they existed. Our relationship was based in the present and future, not in the past. But Kevin was something he really should know about.

"It sounds as if Kevin weren't a very good man, but I sense that there was something beyond that during your episode."

"There was…I-" Shame washed over me and I hung my head. "When I saw him again, I didn't feel repulsed. I was attracted to him just the same, despite all I know. How twisted is that?"

"Humans cannot control what we feel, nor can we change it. We can only choose to ignore it and make decisions based on our minds rather than our hearts."

A small smile turned my lips. "You sound like your boyfriend. Vision is rubbing off on you."

She chuckled. "Is that so bad?"

"Yes. He annoys the hell out of me with his lofty ideals."

"He means well."

"So did Hitler I'm sure."

"I don't quite think Vision compares to Hitler."

I laugh, feeling my spirits lift a little. "I sure hope not."

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I read the text from Tony. " _Where are you?"_ He asked. " _You're missing the party_."

"Who is it?" Wanda asked, setting down her coffee cup on the table.

"Tony. He wonders where I am."

"Do you want to go back to the party?"

I sighed, taking a final sip of the coffee. Talking to Wanda had taken the stress from my shoulders, and I felt a lot better. And socializing would make everything even better. "Yeah. Thanks for all this."

"It's no problem." She told me with a shrug.

We walked to the door, opening I to see Vision standing there with his hand raised to knock. "I came to speak with Wanda." He informed me, glancing at her behind the door.

"Ugh." I muttered, brushing past him. "Ya'll have fun with that then; I'll leave you to it."

"Vision!" Wanda replied, her voice unusually cheerful. He entered her room and I closed the door behind him, wanting to give them their privacy even though I knew they just planned to talk and read for a couple hours. That's all they ever did, and it was fucking boring.

Stopping by a bathroom on the floor, I touched up my makeup and texted Tony that I was coming to the bar level. I texted Steve too, but he didn't reply. I frowned, wondering what he'd gotten up to. It wasn't like him to leave me for an hour, especially at a party. He didn't like parties and told me he found them much more tolerable if he was with me.

Deciding to look for him before talking to Tony, I walked into the hallway and towards the elevator, paying attention to my phone and not where I was going.

A blue blur swooped by me and knocked my feet from under me, lifting me into the air. I squeaked in shock, totally not having seen it coming.

Pietro carried me several feet down the hall before dropping me back on the floor. I swayed on my feet, taking a second to get my bearings. When I finally did, I glanced up to see Pietro grinning at me.

I punched him playfully in the arm. "What the hell was that?" I asked.

"You looked bored. I thought it'd be fun." He told me with that lopsided grin I knew won all the ladies. Thankfully, I'd become immune to it long ago. I already had an Avenger to love.

"Ah yes because scaring the shit out of me is fun."

"For me it was. Besides, not my fault you did not pay attention."

"We both know I couldn't have seen you coming even if I'd been paying attention."

"True." He admitted with a shrug. In a flash, he suddenly grabbed my phone and scrolled on it. "Who were you texting that took up so much of your attention?"

I snatched it back before he could speed it away. "Steve. Who else?"

"Perhaps that boy who upset you so very much."

The humor faded from my face. "No. I hope never to see him again."

"Why? What did he do?" He asked, not taking my hint.

"I don't want to talk about it." I muttered, looking away from his face.

"Did he hurt you?" His eyebrows furrowed, searching my face.

I declined to answer, shrugging him away. "I really don't want to talk about it, ok?"

"Do not talk to me as if I were child. I can tell something is wrong."

"I already spilled my heart to Wanda, leave me alone."

"Why are you being so rude?"

"I'm not! Fucking leave me alone!'

"Woah. It's getting heated in here. I think we need to calm down." Falcon stepped out of the elevator, glancing between the two of us.

"I don't need to fucking calm down. I just want to be alone." It was strange how fast I'd become upset by the subject that I'd just talked through, but I just felt so emotionally fragile at the moment.

Falcon glanced at Pietro for guidance but he simply shrugged, his anger gone.

"What are you even doing here?" I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest irritably.

"I live on this floor."

"Oh." I felt stupid, but I refused to look the part. I stomped towards the elevator, awkwardly having to wait for it to hit my floor, and closed the doors to the world. I told FRIDAY to bar anyone from entering, and sat down on the floor, pouting like a child. I knew I was being crazy emotional and it made no sense, but Kevin really shook me up. I staggered to my feet, feeling the urge to do something so I could at least take my mind off it. I flipped through my options, finding very few. The most obvious one seemed to go to my lab and start working, but it was too far away and I couldn't leave the party. Besides that, I could also talk to Steve, who always found a way to comfort me, but I didn't know where he was.

There was only one option left and it was glaring me in the face; I couldn't ignore it anymore. The fastest way to make me feel better would be to drink, and that was just what I'd do. I couldn't take it anymore- couldn't take the separation. I'd spent the past six years dealing with life through alcohol and I wasn't able to stop now. It was too late for me. I hated the feeling that I wasn't in control, but it was just the truth. I hated myself for it, but I'd lost.

I pushed the button to the upper floors and pulled out my phone, checking my reflection in the mirror. The mess I looked reflected how I felt, but I couldn't go in public like that. I rubbed off the running makeup and applied fresh mascara. I still looked messy, but it seemed intentional, so I steeled myself and left the elevator.

People were everywhere, but I avoided them more or less and sped over to one of the bars. I went behind it myself, fixing my own mix of gin, vodka, absinthe, brandy, and blackberry liquor. My throat burned as it went down, but I couldn't care less. My head began to swim a little, making the world blur at the edges. Crushing guilt overshadowed the relief, but I pushed it aside. I didn't want to think about it now.

For the next hour, I wandered around socializing with everyone and having a ball. I grabbed more to drink, becoming so drunk I could barely walk a straight line. Even so, I was used to drinking enough that I didn't show it. I acted normal, just perhaps a little happier than usual. The most common topic among the crowd was the story of the hostage situation, a story I had to retell from my perceptive a thousand times. Everyone got a little teary-eyed when I mentioned the death of the president, but I didn't see what all the fuss was. Of course I didn't want him to die, but these people didn't know him so they had no reason to cry.

Besides that, everyone else seemed in good spirits, or perhaps that's just how I perceived it in a drunken haze. The only one I found who wasn't socializing and having fun was a tall brunette man who leaned against the wall. He scanned the crowds, indecision flashing in his eyes. He seemed as if he wanted to talk to people but felt uncomfortable doing it.

I sashayed toward him, ready to give him that little push.

"Hey Bucky." I said, leaning against the wall.

He looked at me from the sides of his eyes. "Are you drunk?"

I frowned, having thought I hid it well. "How can you tell?"

"As the asset, I didn't get to talk much, so I learned to listen and watch instead." His eyes darkened at the memory, and I tried to change the subject. I wanted him to be happy rather than upset.

"Well congrats on being observant. What are you doing over here in the corner? There are a thousand hot and single chicks around here who would probably want to talk to you."

"And I'd love to talk to them."

"Then go!" I shoved his arm playfully, giggling.

"I'm happy in this corner."

"Why?"

"Can't it be because I'm here with such a beautiful woman?" He asked, but I could tell his playful flirtation hid his insecurity.

"Well I am beautiful." I joked, though it was true. "But there's something beyond that. Have you been having memories again?" I'd intended to steer him away from thinking negative thoughts, but now I was curious.

He frowned. "No. I remember all of it now, thanks to you and the other scientists, but I was just thinking about how I missed the victory party back in my time. I was too busy being changed into the enemy to get to experience the end of the war."

"Aw come on Bucky don't get so pensive. You're more fun than that, if you let yourself be." I tried to step forward but leaned against the wall with the other hand after an episode of vertigo. "Let's go talk to people. I'll find you a pretty 'dame' to sleep with."

He rolled his eyes, but I could sense his mood lighten. "Fine." He said, putting a steadying arm on my shoulder. The metal chilled my skin, making me instinctively shrug him off with a grunt. "I don't think it's a good idea to let you wander on your own."

"I'll be fine." I assured him with a giggle.

We wandered around the party, introducing ourselves to people. I searched the crowd searching for someone hot to take Bucky to. Steve said he wasn't withdrawn in the past, but now he'd become just that. If I didn't find him someone myself and make him start talking, it would take much longer. I liked helping him, especially since the ball of guilt and remorse resided somewhere in the depths of my mind. The image of my deformed, mangled child popped back into my head, and I froze, fear flooding my drunken mind. I didn't want that to be reality, but it was probably too late. I gave in, therefore ruining everything. I was a fucking failure. I drank for the sake of avoiding emotions, but instead they now just seemed ten times stronger.

"Nika? Are you alright?" Bucky asked, looking down at me with concern.

"Yeah. I"ll be fine." I muttered, pushing the thoughts away best I could. I needed another drink. "Why don't we get something from the bar?"

"I think you've had plenty to drink." He said with a chuckle, guiding me away from where I'd begun walking.

"Come on Bucky." I whined. "Just one drink? Do you even drink? I haven't even seen you drunk; what are you like?"

"No. Yes, I do, but I prefer to stay alert these days. I'm just as charming as I always am."

"But I want to see what you're like drunk, come on!" I tried to drag him forward but he didn't move his feet. By far his strength outmatched mine, but I kept dragging nonetheless. If I looked like an idiot, I didn't really care. I just wanted to get my way.

"Maybe some other time." He gently pried my arm off.

"Fine then…" I began to feel the eyes of others on me, making me uncomfortable. The little flutter of fear twisted in my stomach, but it dispersed when I laid eyes on Steve across the room. I smiled and waved at him, but he gave me a quizzical look. "Hey Bucky, look it's Steve." I told him, nodding to Steve. "Let's go talk to him."

"Always pick him over me, eh?"

"He is quite a catch after all."

"Didn't used to be. I could tell you a thousand stories of the times girls completely ignored him."

"I just can't imagine that. Wasn't he like not even five feet tall?"

"Nope. At least, I don't think so… details like that sometimes slip my mind. But I do remember this one girl who lived in an apartment by ours, we were together once but that's beside the point, and she once asked him to grab something from a shelf in her apartment since she was already down the stairs. He agreed, though of course in an awkward way-"

"Of course."

"-And went into the poor girl's apartment. Her roommate was home, so she tried to grab this vase of flowers from the shelf with her watching, but he can't reach. Eventually, he grabs it, fumbles, and it slips from the ground onto the floor and shatters. The roommate burst out laughing and he spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning up the mess and apologizing. He even wrote her an apology note that afternoon, which she shoved back in his face. He was upset for a week."

By the time he finished the story, I was crumpled over laughing. I struggled to imagine Steve so awkward, but the idea made me laugh. I knew a lot of the stories from Steve of course, but I never heard them from someone else's point of view. It made it ten times funnier, or maybe that was just the alcohol.

"Are you really telling that story Bucky?"

I jumped, not having noticed Steve cross the room to us. I wondered how long he'd been there, but the smirk on Bucky's face and the faint red on Steve's told me he hadn't just gotten there.

"Yes. I thought you'd approve. Your current girl needs to know how you used to act around women."

"It's hilarious!" I chipped in. "I'm glad you weren't like that when we met."

"Being taller than you really helped…" He smiled when I laughed, but then his eyebrows creased. "Are you drunk?"

"Why does everyone ask me that?" I giggled, but my humor faded when I saw Steve's serious expression. He and I both knew what I'd done was wrong.

Bucky glanced between the two of us, sensing something was wrong. He faded away in that unnerving way of his, leaving the two of us alone. "Nika, what happened?" Steve asked. I couldn't tell if he was concerned or upset. He glanced around the room, noting that we were surrounded by a crowd. "Let's go somewhere else."

I dreaded how disappointed he'd be in me. "Uh…" I wished I could say I wanted to stay and put it off, but that wasn't fair to him. "Okay."

He grabbed my hand with his and we walked through the crowds. I leaned against his side, still not stable on my feet. I felt like a misbehaving child being led to the principal, a feeling I'd known all too well as a kid. The difference lay in that I didn't give a damn what the principal thought, but Steve's opinion meant the world to me.

We went down the elevator and to Steve's room in the Tower in silence. Since we'd gotten the apartment, he rarely went to the room, but it was a great place for us to be sure no one would interrupt.

"What's wrong? What made you do this? I thought you said you had to stop." Steve said, shutting the door behind us.

I couldn't help it; I burst into tears. "I saw… I saw Kevin and it was so strange and I just couldn't take it and I know I'm horrible. I should've had control but I didn't and I'm such a failure." I sobbed. I expected Steve to rail at me for being irresponsible or even just leave, but instead he wrapped his arms around me and let me cry into his chest.

"Is Kevin the guy who broke your heart?" He asked, bitterness evident in his voice. I never told him the story of Kevin, I never really told anyone besides the one who were there, but he knew I'd only loved one man before him and he destroyed me.

I nodded weakly, sobs erupting from my throat. I was a mess, amplified by excessive drinking. I pulled away from Steve, suddenly feeling disgusted with myself. Just an hour ago, I'd been wanting another man and here was Steve, perfect and faithful as ever, comforting me as if I were the victim. Not only that, but he also knew I'd endangered the life of his own child. I knew he wanted children and loved the barely formed one in my stomach, protective of it like he was me. He should hate me for this or at least be angry.

"You shouldn't be being nice to me." I said, crossing my arms over my chest and stepping back.

He frowned, eyebrows furrowing. "Why? I love you."

"But you shouldn't. I'm a fucking failure and I'm ruining everything."

"You aren't a failure; you're just flawed, just like I am. How could I hate you for that?"

"You aren't flawed, though." I complaining, wiping at the tears with my arm. "You're perfect, bred to be perfect. You don't understand."

He huffed in irritation, my accusation being a common topic he heard."I'm not perfect."

"Then prove it!"

"How?"

"I don't know! Get mad! Blame me for something!"

"But you've done nothing but give into a strong temptation. I shouldn't have left you alone; I may not be able to get drunk, but I know it's difficult to break an alcohol addiction."

"Steve, I endangered the life of our child with my recklessness. I was stupid and irresponsible. Besides that, when I saw Kevin, I momentarily wanted him back. For only a second, I would've cheated on you, doesn't that upset you?" If I weren't drunk, I probably never would've said any of it, preferring Steve to not be mad at me. A more free than usual mouth and stomachful of guilt kept that from being possible. I could see Steve, the usually calm one, actually becoming annoyed. We rarely fought, mostly because he wasn't hot headed like me, but now I could see the actual hurt in his eyes. I'd gone too far, personally attacking him. Faithfulness meant the world to him, and if he thought I'd strayed, I knew it'd hurt him like crazy. Belatedly, I wished I hadn't said anything.

"Fine! You want me to be angry? I will be! How are you always so irresponsible? Don't you care about anyone but yourself? I worry about you so much because I'm always worried about the decisions you'll make. Most of the time I don't notice the gap in age between us, but then you go off and act like a bratty teenager. Did no one ever teach you any manners, any care for other people besides yourself?"

"No! No one ever taught me! I grew up alone and without supervision. My mother was a bitch, my teachers and friends didn't give a shit about me!"

"I didn't exactly have a peaceful childhood either! I spent the first twenty years being bullied and being unable to help others. I wished there was something I could do, but I was just too small."

"So did I!" I screamed. "All I wanted was to be around people and to love them, but no one ever cared about me." My anger dissipated like smoke, leaving me with an empty feeling. I couldn't believe I'd snapped at Steve like that, perhaps endangering the best relationship I'd ever had. I had no right to be mad. With an ashen face, I admitted my mistake, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…I shouldn't have gotten mad. I'm in the wrong; I'm the one who screwed up."

Any normal person would've affirmed that and probably left me there, but Steve simply paused, loosening his angry stance. He smiled softly, and my eyes widened in surprise. Where was the scolding? "I forgive you." He said sincerely.

"Wait…you do?"

"I do."

"What about all those flaws you mentioned? Aren't you mad at those?"

"Those are what make you you. I wouldn't change a thing."

"Why not?"

He leaned against the wall, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "I always thought I wanted a perfect, demure dame who I could settle down and raise a family with. Then I met Peggy and that all changed. She was a strong, independent woman, and I respected and came to love her for it. Nika, I don't want some submissive housewife; I want a girl with fire. I want a girl who's independent and wild. Sure, sometimes you infuriate me, but that's what makes me love you so much. You're a handful, wild, young, and out of control, but I love that about you. We may seem like very different, but in the end we have the same values, and that combined keeps us together."

I didn't know what to say to that whopper of a speech, so I just stood there with my mouth open and closing. I felt as if I'd been shocked to soberness. "I…that's…"

He didn't give me time to finish before he pressed his lips against mine and I lost myself to the kiss. God, how I loved this man. We had the strangest fights in the world, but I knew now we could always work it out. I didn't believe in destiny or soulmates, but if I did, I would consider Steve and I as such. For the first time, I was glad I'd gotten to the live the life I did, even through the rough patches like Kevin, if this was the result.


	26. Chapter 26: It's Six Months Now

**A/N: Annnd chapter 26! Did any of you guys watch Agents of Shield tonight? I'm still crying D: anyways please review and tell me what you think! Disclaimer: same thing as always**

Steve and I never returned to the party, preferring to spend the rest of the night in his room. When morning finally did roll around, I dragged myself from bed, head pounding from a hangover.

I stumbled to the bathroom, taking a shower to try and clear my head. It didn't help much, so I grabbed some clothes from my drawer in the corner and lay back down on the bed, closing my eyes and planning to sleep it off. I heard the door open and close, knowing it was Steve returning from his daily run. He sat down on the bed beside me, planting a kiss on my cheek. I grunted in response.

"This is why you shouldn't drink so much." Steve told me with a chuckle.

"I know." I said groggily, burying my face in the pillow. "But I want this to be the last time, at least for six months. I promise I won't slip up again."

"I'll be here to support you. I'm not going anywhere."

"Until the next war comes around."

I could feel him stiffen at the mention of it. "Yes but that won't happen for another nine months."

"Has Thor gotten any more information?"

"Not that he's shared with the rest of us. He still believes Thantos' army grows and he plans to attack next year."

"Good. I'll be ready by then. Now that I've figured out the bombs, I'm one step away from making it into a powerful weapon in the sky."

"Are you sure you want to make this? I know how you feel about making weapons."

"I'm sure." I sighed with resignation. I'd thought about it constantly, but I couldn't find a way to justify not making a weapon. After all, I consoled myself, at least the aliens weren't humans so I really couldn't consider myself as killing them. Normally, I lived for the present, but with attack on the horizon, I needed to focus on the future. Especially since I had a future and one part of it would need a world to live in. "I have to do something to help all of you guys out."

"You're doing the right thing."

"I know I am, else I wouldn't be doing it."

My stomach grumbled and I chuckled, breaking the serious moment. With a groan, I sat up and stretched, wanting to start my day and go the lab. My head pounded, but I wasn't unfamiliar with the feeling.

Chatting with Steve all the while, I went into the bathroom and fixed my hair and makeup, feeling like shit but pushing through. The heavy makeup from the previous day had drained down my face, making me look like a clown let loose from the circus. I washed it all away with water, freeing my normal face. In the past few months, I'd looked tired and old, but I was beginning to look a little more like I'd been brought to life. The nausea and sleepiness at the beginning of my pregnancy had finally begun to wear off, leaving me in a far better place physically.

I decided to leave my face bare and ran a brush through my tangled black hair. I twisted it into a bun and bobby pinned it to my head, ignoring the couple of loose strands I missed. I only planned to stay in the lab or with Steve all day, so I didn't really give a damn what I looked like.

The only thing left before I could leave was to find better clothes than a ratty tshirt and boy shorts. I dug through the drawer, asking Steve's advice on my choices and laughing when he had no idea what to say. Even though he'd become acclimated to the culture in most aspects, he had no idea what he was doing with fashion.

I finally settled on a navy tank top and ripped jeans. I frowned at the way the fabric seemed to curve around my slightly raised stomach. I was barely a trimester through, but I already felt fat.

"You look beautiful, as always." Steve said, picking up on my worry.

"No. I look like I need to stop eating so many big macs." I ran a hand over my stomach, trying to think positively. I imagined holding a little baby boy in my arms with Steve beside me, and my mood brightened. "But it'll at be worth it, right?"

He smiled, standing and wrapping his arms around me from behind. "We'll be a family, Nika, and I think that's worth everything."

I grinned, twisting to kiss him. I couldn't admit that I didn't still have apprehensions about being a mother, but when Steve said such sincere, sweet things like that, how could I be upset? Besides, I'd spent enough time researching pregnancy and infant care in the past week or two that I felt pretty confident I could do it. I was a genius after all.

By early afternoon, Steve and I wandered upstairs to the kitchen to grab a bite to eat. My hangover symptoms slowly receded, giving me freedom to really be alert and extremely hungry.

While I fixed us both sandwiches, feeling so cliché the whole time, I listened to Steve and Thor talking about some new bit of information Heindal had given him. It didn't sound too serious, just that they may be coming sooner than we expected.

I slid the sandwiches from the fancy toaster and onto a plate, setting them on the bar table.

"Heindal believes nine months was perhaps a generous estimation. He now believes Thanatos, the leader of the approaching force, may come in eight months time."

"Why do I feel like you always tell us it's coming sooner?"I muttered, sitting down in my chair.

Thor swiveled around, noticing me for the first time. "Ah, Lady Stark. I did not see you enter. Although your words do hold some truth, Heindal feels sure this time he is right. His sources will not fail him."

"Did he say the last time?"

Thor rubbed the back of his neck. "…Indeed. He did."

"My point exactly."

"I can assure you this time it is correct."

I took a bite out of my sandwich, leaning back in my chair. "And why do you believe this? Who the hell are these sources anyway?"

"I cannot say specifically, for ears ever listen, but I will admit that they are spies for us disguised as members of the other side."

"How do you know they aren't actually working for Thanatos?"

"Dare you question my mens' honor?" He boomed.

I shrugged, taking another bite. "Just saying."

"She has a point." Steve said, sitting down across from me. "I don't mean to be mistrustful of all, but after the fall of Hydra, we have to be extra wary of traitors."

"I concur, but my men shall not betray us, on my word."

"Oh I'm sure as far as you know, they won't, but it's what you don't know that concerns me."

"Lady Stark-"

"Marianna. Also, just call me Nika or it's weird." I told him, crinkling my nose at the name. I wasn't a lady of anything; I had the manners and poise of an infant baboon.

"-Nika. Though we have been acquainted for a short while, I am asking you to please trust my judgment." He seemed so earnest that it almost broke my heart to pop his bubble.

"Sorry, but no. There are very few I trust, thanks to experience." I may not dwell on the past, but I sure as hell learned from it. After Courtney divulged my biggest secret to the internet, I knew better than to trust people, even those I was sort of close to. I only trusted Steve, Wanda, and, surprisingly, Tony. I liked the other Avengers, even Thor, but I just didn't feel secure around them. Unlike machines, people were painfully unpredictable.

"I think that-" Steve's words were cut off by Wanda poking her head into the room.

"Come quickly! Natasha and Bruce have returned."

Steve jumped from his chair, nearly knocking it to the floor in the process. "They're both here now?"

"Yes!"

The two guys followed her out of the room and I hurried after them. I didn't quite have a deep bond with Natasha, but I'd missed her, and I was excited to see Bruce, my science friend again.

Down in the lobby, all the Avengers were crowding around the pair, laughing and talking to them. Bruce spotted me and smiled, so I waved back. Thor strode up to the two, putting his meaty hands on their shoulders. "Welcome back Lady Natasha and Banner. It is good to see you, friends."

Natasha's eye twitched at the physical contact, but she didn't shy away, which I took to be a sign of affection. Steve followed Thor's example, greeting the two with a handshake. "Welcome back." He said simply.

"It's good to be back. I heard you guys got up to a lot of trouble without me." Natasha said, smirking.

Clint shrugged nonchalantly, as if the whole of New York City hadn't almost blown up and the president hadn't died. "Nothing we couldn't handle."

Nat snorted. "That's not how I saw it."

"We did handle it, but with your help will help it go smoother next time." Steve acquiesced with a smile.

"What are you doing back here Bruce?" Tony asked, cutting the pleasantries short. It wasn't rude, just the question I assumed was on everyone's mind being spoken. At least, it was certainly in the forefront of my mind. Back when I'd worked with him in the lab, Bruce had seemed so adamant that he wouldn't ever return, but here he was again.

"I was content to stay on that island, but Natasha convinced me to return here. She said another war is approaching, and you guys may need some help from the other guy."  
"All it took was a little pleading from Spidey to get you to give up a life of solitude and return to the most dangerous city for you to be in? Wow. Maybe she's good for more than threatening people and kicking ass." Tony commented.

Nat rolled her eyes. "I've always been worth more than that, but maybe your problem is that you can't look beyond ass."

"I admit it's a weakness."  
I tuned out of the conversation and leaned to whisper into Wanda's, asking the question I knew Nat would kill me if I asked out loud. "Are they together?" Neither of them were very outwardly affectionate people, so I couldn't tell by anything but their minds if it were the truth. And I didn't have access to their minds. I don't know why I cared, probably just because I still held onto the remnants of teenage gossip.

"They are very in love with each other." Wanda whispered back to me.

"Hmm." I glanced between the two of them, not seeing the chemistry. "I just don't see it."

"If you could see their minds, you would."

"I'll take your word for it." I tuned back into the group around me, noticing people start to disperse. Natasha and Clint were catching up in their strange way, Steve, Thor, Falcon, and Rhodes were discussing some sort of battle strategy, Pietro was coming to talk to Wanda, and Bruce and Tony were talking about some sort of discovery he'd made during his isolation.

I sidled over to the science pair, excited to hear about new breakthroughs. I may be smart, but I didn't know everything, and I loved learned new things. There was nothing worse than not knowing something.

Tony, Bruce, and I talked for an hour, eventually working in the lab together and discussing things. I hadn't realized how much I missed Bruce's gentle methods and work, but now I really appreciated it. Our team of two easily expanded to three, although Bruce kept to himself for the most part.

"So…I think I figured out your secret." Tony said casually, leaning on the table beside me as I worked on tweaking parts of an engine I'd been working on as a side project.

I glanced up at him but kept working. "Do you now?" I asked nonchalantly, secretly hoping he didn't. I'd thought I may actually win this time. "What is it?"

"You're pregnant."

I looked up at him, eyes wide with shock before they narrowed. "Damn you." I muttered. He grinned, knowing he was right. "How did you figure it out?"

"A compilation of things. First, you refused alcohol. Second, you've been acting somewhat strange lately, not enough for a normal person to notice, but for me to tell. Third.." He paused, seeming unsure whether or not to say his point.

"What?" I asked, now curious.

"Nevermind."

"Oh come on! You've never been one to filter stuff. Tell me!"

"Fine. You also look somewhat pregnant."

I glanced down at my stomach and at him, wondering what he was seeing. It wasn't obvious, expect perhaps to someone super observant, which he unfortunately was. Nonetheless, it felt like he was calling me fat. "Fuck you." I muttered under my breath.

"Hey, I wasn't gonna say it."

"Say what?" Bruce asked, picking up on the conversation for the first time.

"Nika is-" I threw a pencil at Tony, shutting him up mid-sentence. "What?" He asked.

"I don't really want this getting out." I hissed. I didn't want everyone to see me differently, especially someone I didn't really know like Bruce.

Bruce only shrugged. "I won't pry."

"Thank you."

We returned to work, but I could tell Tony was itching to ask more questions, considering how many times he glanced up at me.

Finally, I got fed up with being stared at. "What?" I snapped, looking at him.

"I just find it strange that Capsicle would be having sex with you if he wasn't married to you. Doesn't that violate his precious little code of honor or something?"

I rolled my eyes. "It does… but he bent it for me."

"Cap bent his morals?" Tony asked incredulously. "But without his morals…what is he?"

I chuckled. "The love of my life. But it wasn't like that, it started because of an extenuating circumstance at which point I convinced him to bend a little." Looking back, I did feel a little guilty about pretty much manipulating and guilting him into it, but I didn't regret the decision. I wanted to love Steve right, and I didn't have the patience to wait for marriage. It wasn't even a big deal, until birth control failed and now there was a fetus growing in my stomach.

"Bend a little?"Tony asked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

I hated to admit that I laughed a little. "Don't be vulgar." I scolded, knowing full well I was vulgar myself. I just didn't really want to talk about my sex life with my father, whether I thought of him as a father or not. That reminded me, speaking of sex lives…

"Hey Bruce," I called, trying to sound casual.

He glanced up from his work with one eyebrow raised. "Yes?"

"You and Nat, huh?"

He blushed and looked back down. "What about it?"

"You too are a thing right?"

"Aren't there more important subjects to talk about?"

"Meh." I said with a laugh, momentarily pausing to work on some precision work. "We've been talking about wars and fighting and bombs and everything I never wanted to be involved in for months, it's nice to branch out sometimes. Romance is fun to figure out."

Tony added some information into the database, rolling his eyes at my words. "Someone is a busybody today."

"I can't help it; I'm bored. And I-" The metal shifted infinitesimally below my fingers, and I paused. "Shit." I muttered, trying to fix the mistake.

It took an hour to fix the little mistake, during which time I was too focused to talk. It was all for the better in the end, I figured out a new way of looking at the metal while I fixed it, something I thought I could transfer to the bomb.

Tony and Bruce left at some point when I wasn't paying attention, leaving me alone in Tony's lab. My mind was filled with my new plan, so I went outside the lab to my car rather than inside with the others. I wanted to get working while I had the inspiration. Besides, a strange sick feeling in my stomach told me that Thor's 'six' months was a gross overestimation.

I texted Steve and Wanda where I was going before driving off in my car to the nearby lab I called my second home. It was a pretty nondescript building, with simple red bricks and industrial type windows and doors, but the inside was like a playground for people like me. It contained all the most state of the art equipment, some of which I'd made myself.

In a heap in the center of the room, the parts of the bomb lay in a pile, carefully arranged so I could remember what everything was.

I knelt beside the pile, picking up some of the outside shells and tinkering with their density. I hypothesized that the bomb would be more effective if it blew up easier, not having to break through a bunch layers of thick metals. Surrounded by my tools and screens with my data, I felt totally at home, but I got the unnerving feeling I was being watched. I kept working, ignoring the feeling as superstition.

My phone was blown up by texts from various Avengers, but I disregarded them. Hours or minutes passed by before I decided to take a break. I went to the bathroom, nearly having a heart attack when I noticed a speckling of blood on my underwear. It took a minute before I could get myself together, trying to push the fear of the circumstance to the back of my mind. Deep down, I think I knew what it meant, but I couldn't admit it to myself. For the first time, I wasn't even curious and deleted the information from my mind.

I walked to the mini fridge I kept in my lab, using all the restraint I had to pick a bottle of Gatorade over beer. I returned to the table, ready to work for another few hours, but something in the corner of the room drew my attention.

"Who are you?" Grabbing a wrench in one shaking hand, I walked towards the object, which I could now tell was a man. "What are you doing here?"

Whoever he was , he'd been sleeping, and he startled awake, jumping to his feet with his fists bared. With his face fully visible, relief washed over me. "Bucky. You scared me to death. What are you doing here?"

He looked around, seeming a little confused himself. Ever since we'd gotten him back and fixed his memories, Bucky had been pretty normal besides scars, but every once and a while he'd have a total episode of confusion. I had a feeling this was one of those. "Where am I?" He asked.

"In my lab." I told him, setting down the wrench on the table. "You were sleeping here."

"I was?" He asked. "Huh…I wonder how I got here."

"I don't know. I'm more curious why you chose here to come."

He shrugged, stretching and yawning. "I do. It feels safe here."

I glanced around at the thousands of sharp objects and dangerous equipment. "It does?" I asked skeptically.

"Yes. Because you're here."

I was thrown off be his seriousness rather than his usual sarcastic, flirty nature. I figured it was probably just one of those 'people are most honest when they're half awake' things.' "Gee I'm flattered than you find my companionship so great, but I'm taken."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I know. That's part of it. The fact that Steve trusts you so much makes you trust you."He waggled his eyebrows. "And you also are a pretty beautiful dame."

"There's the Bucky I know." I told him with a laugh. "I was worried you were becoming serious and sentimental."

"Never. There's no fun in being serious."

"I agree. It's more fun to be humorous."

Bucky rubbed his eyes, clearing the sleep from them. "So…how long exactly was I out?"

"I don't know." I took a swig from my Gatorade, grimacing at the taste. I handed the bottle to Bucky and went back to my lab table, getting back to work while I talked. "Probably several hours. You missed Natasha and Bruce coming back."

He tossed the bottle in the trash. "They're back? Why?"

"Because of the extraterrestrial war."

"Is Thor still saying nine months?"

"Nope. It's six months now. Keep up."

"It's hard to keep up when it's always changing." He joked drily. His expression hardened, staring out the window in thought. "I have a bad feeling he's wrong and it's coming sooner than we think."

"So do I. I feel like it's all going to go down in at most a month."

"Only a month until imminent death?" Half of Bucky's mouth quirked upwards. "Sounds familiar. I'm going to go enjoy my last few days then."

I smiled, glad he was already fully back to himself. "You go for it. If you feel strange, just come back and I'll be here."

"Will do." He told me with a smirk, doffing his imaginary hat before walking out of the room. I refocused on my work, shaking off the lingering shock of seeing him here. With his strange habitat of wandering, I didn't see him much, but it was nice on the few times I did. Though I'd never tell him, I felt bad for him and all he'd been through. He was nothing like Steve, but I could see why they were such good friends. He reminded me in some ways of myself.

I spent an hour or two more tampering with the bomb before I finally responded to Steve's frantic texts and told him I was returning home. Careful to lock the door, I left my second home and went to my car. Even before I drove away, I itched to return. I irrationally felt like I needed to hurry and finish it as quick as I could. Ignoring the feeling, I drove off and went home, trying to feel normal.


	27. Chapter 27: You Made a Bomb?

**A/N: This chapter is a little more graphic than I usually write bc miscarriage (which for some reason I've written about many times in different stories o.0) but it's not too bad. This is nearing the end of the story, though, which is so sad. I hope you enjoy the chapter and pls review and tell me what you think! Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel rip**

" _Nika? Where are you?_ " I scanned over Steve's text, looking up from my work for the first time all day. I'd spent the whole week finishing my work on the bomb and improving it, rarely seeing anyone besides occasionally Tony and Bruce. I knew Steve was upset by it, considering that this was the first time in months he hadn't been busy in the thick of fighting, but I worked to work to keep my mind off my faults and the blood that kept recurring and because I had a bad feeling about the future. He came to the lab once or twice to help, but there was little he could do besides provide companionship, which I did appreciate.

" _I'm on my way home_." I texted, though it was a total lie. I didn't intend to come home for a few hours.

" _Good bc Wanda is here urgently wanting to speak to you._ "

I smirked at his use of an abbreviation, appreciating how far he'd come with technology. " _Couldn't she just text me?_ "

" _She says it's something too big to tell over text. Are you alright? Is there something you aren't telling me?_ "

Guilt swirled in my stomach along with the fear. His concern stemmed from Wanda's words, but little did he know it was spot on. I didn't know what Wanda needed to say, but there was something I wasn't telling him and I wasn't okay. " _No. Idk what she wants_." I lied, though I hated myself for it. I prided myself in not normally lying to Steve, but here I was doing just that.

" _Okay_." Even though it wasn't possible, I felt like I could felt his skepticism through the phone. " _Just please come home soon_."

" _I will. I love you_."

" _Ily too_." Steve texted, making me laugh. " _Was that right?"_

" _No bc you aren't a teenage girl. Pls never say that again_."

" _I just thought I'd be modern_."

" _I don't love you for being modern. Don't become a basic white girl_."

" _I'm not a girl_."

" _I know it was a joke_."

" _What does basic mean_?"

Sometimes, I wondered if Steve really did understand the culture, just pretended he didn't to make me laugh. It worked. " _Nevermind. I'll tell you later_."

I felt guilty for the second lie, so I decided to make the first text not a lie. I packed up my stuff and drove home, blasting music to keep my mind off things. I wondered what Wanda wanted, especially considering I'd blocked her out for the past few days. What was so important that it couldn't be texted?

I ran up the stairs to my apartment, bursting with curiosity for what Wanda wanted. When I entered our living room, tossing my purse on the couch, the two of them were sitting in the kitchen, peacefully talking and drinking coffee together. It was a strange sight to see them sitting together calmly and chatting not about war. Many of the Avengers had taken an impromptu break, considering the lieu in crime following the Terrorist War.

"Hey guys." I said, plopping down in a chair across from them.

Steve smiled at me, but Wanda barely glanced up with a glassy expression. Her eyes flickered to my stomach and then back to her drink, like she was upset by something.

Suddenly, I knew exactly what she wanted to talk about, and my smile faded. I wasn't emotionally prepared to have this conversation, but I knew I needed to. I knew she knew the truth that I was miscarrying, even if I hadn't even admitted it to myself.

Steve noticed my expression falter and frowned in mirror of mine. He glanced between the two of us, sensing our need for privacy. "I'm going to go for a run." He offered, standing up and offering his chair to me. I sat down heavily.

After quickly pecking me on the cheek, he sped out the door and shut it behind himself, leaving us alone. Wanda finally looked up, staring my straight in the eye. "I hate this." She admitted bitterly. "I don't want to hurt people anymore. I want to use my gifts for good."

"How are you going to hurt me?" I asked, bracing myself for the answer.

"You know how."

"I just need you to confirm it. Is it true?"

She hesitantly grabbed my hand and squeezed it, trying to be comforting "Yes. I should've told you a week ago when I felt it first, but I didn't want to upset you. The young mind I'd felt growing a month ago is silent. Your baby… is dead."

With the words in the air, there was no taking it back. A cry escaped from my throat, the horrible reality hitting me full force. My baby was dead. The beautiful little boy with golden hair and Steve's smile was dead, never to come into the world. And it was all my fault. If I hadn't been so reckless and hadn't drunk so much, maybe he would still be alive. For the second time, I'd murdered someone and it hurt just as bad with their deaths and repercussions from it on my shoulders. The guilt was crippling, and I wished I could just melt into the floor and die.

"It's not your fault." Wanda said, reading my mind. She awkwardly wrapped her arms around me, enveloping me in a comforting hug.

Traitorous tears ran down my face and I sobbed into her shoulder. "Yes, it is. I'm the one who drank and killed him. I might as well have stabbed him through the gut myself. I'm a murderer twice over."

"You didn't know it would kill him."

"It doesn't matter; it doesn't change the fact it happened."

I sobbed harder when I remembered the bomb I'd created back at the lab. If it hurt so much to kill one person, how could I be planning to aid the genocide of a race? What kind of a sick, twisted being was I?

"Nika you aren't a bad person."

I kept forgetting that Wanda could read my thoughts, but it didn't matter. Her comfort was empty to me since it wasn't true. She didn't understand the guilt I felt and how it was justified. I murdered my own child, and I couldn't just gloss over that fact. I was the shittiest person alive.

I couldn't stem the tears, even when I'd been crying for what felt like forever. I felt as if my heart had broken, spilling out dreams and hopes and guilt. I wished I could just forget it all.

Wanda tried to comfort me, repeating that it was going to be okay and that it wasn't my fault. She wasn't very good at comforting, but I'd have appreciated the effort if I hadn't been utterly broken.

I didn't hear the door of the apartment open and close and Steve run towards me. "What happened? What did you say?" He asked Wanda. I couldn't stand to be around him when I'd murdered his child, so I pried myself from Wanda and ran out of the room, hiding in the bedroom and slamming the door. I collapsed in the corner, still sobbing.

Despite my desire to get away, Steve opened the door and entered the room. I heard him tell Wanda something, probably that he would handle this or something, but I wasn't paying attention.

He sat down, gently pulling my face to look at him with his hand. He searched my eyes, asking the silent question of what happened. I tried to choke out the words, wondering if he'd be disgusted by me when I told him. I'd have to take that risk, especially since I didn't need even more guilt. "I…the baby…dead. Gone. My fault."

He was silent for a second, scaring me. I feared he'd hate me, even if that was an unrealistic fear. I could blow up the world, and I doubted Steve would hate me. Nonetheless, I was still worried.

Rather than leave me, he wrapped his strong arms around me and I sobbed into his chest. "It's not your fault. Miscarriages are common." Though he tried to mask it, I could hear the disappointment in his voice. He'd wanted to be a father.

"No… but you don't understand. This wasn't an accident, it was my fault. I drank, and I couldn't and can't ever stop."

"Nika, you are strong. You give in sometimes but you can recover."

"But this happens all the t-t-ime." I stuttered through my tears. "I can't even control my own mind."

"You can't let this get the better of you. You can't chance it, all you can do is try to bring good out of it."

I slowly stopped crying. He was right; I hated that this had control over me, and I wouldn't let it defeat me. Horrible as it was, and horrible as the sudden feeling of pain that flared up in my abdomen, signaling the end, I had to find a way to overcome it all. I couldn't dwell on the past, or really the present, because they hurt too much. I had to look to the future and let go.

It was hard to see good in it, but I realized that it'd taught me something besides how weak I was; I'd realized that I couldn't kill anyone else, be they human or alien. I just wasn't built for that. I couldn't let my bomb get into the hands of others, or I'd regret it for the rest of my life.

"I have to destroy it." I whispered.

Steve frowned. "Destroy what?"

"The bomb. I just can't let it be used. It would cause too much death, and I couldn't stomach the guilt. It could too easily be used to oppress everyone and kill in the future."

He nodded briskly. "I was wondering when you'd realize that, and I agree. Knowing Stark it'd end up in the wrong hands, oppressing people rather than helping them."

I wished I could be excited by the decision, but I was too bogged down by the pain of my baby's death to really feel anything positive. I looked at Steve, noticing for the first time that his eyes were watering. I wasn't sure I'd ever seen him cry, so I was surprised. I hadn't thought to realize how much the situation would hurt him. How selfish could I be, thinking only of my pain and not his?

I wrapped my own arms around him, holding tightly. I felt his tears land on my shoulder; I knew he felt this more than he would ever say. They'd been his dreams too.

We stood there together, holding on, for what felt like an eternity. In the same way that I was comforting him, he was comforting me. Our little family wasn't a family any more, but at least we had each other. And we'd have each other through the war and the rough times and the hard decisions. I wondered if we'd ever have any luck, but I doubted it.

Eventually, the moment passed and Steve had to leave and go to an Avengers meeting. I felt comforted over the death, though I still felt guilt, but emotion was overshadowed by pain. When Wanda said the baby was dead, I hadn't thought of the repercussions on my body. I'd seen a little blood over the past few days, but it was nothing compared to now. I was practically in active labor, sitting in my tub bent over in pain. Red stained the water around me, making me feel like some sort of serial killer.

I'd never been in so much pain in my life, and though part of me wished Steve was with me, I knew he couldn't take this. He wasn't the type to think it proper to see a woman in labor, and he'd just feel out of place. It was better that I was alone where I could scream and curse all I wanted without a witness.

I passed blood clots and blood all the while cramping worse than ever endless until suddenly the pain faded away. I sank back to the edge of the tub, my body aching. It didn't take long before the pain reoccurred, but it went away a lot faster. I hoped I was nearing the end of it, so I weakly got out of the tub and drained it, burying the evidence. I was too exhausted to feel anything besides relief.

I put on a pair of sweats and a tshirt along with a heavy pad and collapsed in the bed, feeling weaker than ever before. I didn't even have the energy to get up and get water for my dry throat. I drifted off easily, barely having hit the pillow.

I awoke in the middle of the night in pain again. Steve was fast asleep beside me, so I crept out of bed and into the bathroom, waiting once again for the contractions subside. It wasn't so bad this time, so I went back to bed and curled up, wishing it really was over. I just wanted to forget this ever happened.

For the rest of the night, I slept blissfully free from pain, but I woke midday feeling so weak. I wondered if I should go to the hospital, but I just felt like I'd be fine. I researched it online, and I felt pretty sure I was in the clear.

There was an aching feeling of longing in my chest for the child that would never be, so I tried to focus on other things to get away with it. My old go to thoughts had been on fixing up the bomb, but now they revolved around getting rid of the bomb. It would take a lot for me to get rid of not only the physical evidence but also the data on computers, but I was confident in my hacking abilities. If I could only get to the lab, I'd be able to shut the whole program, but I couldn't do it from bed.

Or could I? I wondered, an idea popping into my mind. I rolled onto my side, staring at my computer across the room. I wished I could get to it, but I felt too tired to get up and walk all the way across the room. I just wanted to sleep some more, but I couldn't let this go. I had to delete everything before someone exploited it, namely my father. He was my friend and I really enjoyed being around him, but I wasn't sure I trusted him. In his heart, I think he really wanted the best for people, but I couldn't ignore the fact that he'd created Ultron and almost accidentally destroyed the world.

The door opened and I cringed at the light it brought in, eyes not ready for the light. Steve walked in and closed it behind himself, turning on the actual lights. His expression was deadly serious, and my heart nearly stopped. "What happened? What's wrong?" I asked, searching his face for clues. The suspense was killing me.

"You were right. They're already coming. Thor's sources were traitors." He told me blandly.

My eyes widened. "What?" I asked incredulously. Part of me wanted to laugh and say 'I told you so', but for once I wasn't proud to have been right. I wished I'd been wrong. "They're already coming?"

"Heindall thinks we'll be under attack within the next few days."

I didn't want to be in the middle of a fight as weak as I was now, so I shakily pushed myself up to a sitting position.

"What's wrong?" Steve asked, noticing my pain. "Are you ok?"

"I miscarried Steve, it isn't a painless process." I grimaced as a held a hand over my sore abdomen. It was so stupid that besides emotional pain, I had to deal with physical pain.

"You were in pain? Why didn't you call me?"

I shrugged. "It wasn't…really something I wanted you to see."

He helped me stand up, which wasn't as bad as I thought. I was sore of course but I could still walk. "But I want to be there for you."

"I didn't need you to me. There were more important things." I slowly walked across the room towards my computer, plopping down in front of it.

"You're important."

"So is the world." I told him dryly. "We aren't prepared for an invasion. The bases, tech, and scientists the terrorists destroyed hasn't been replaced. What are we going to do?"

"Fight for as long as we keep breathing."

"Good plan." I said with a dry laugh.

"It'll work. It has before."

My computer finally loaded and I logged in, hurriedly trying to hack into my lab. With impending disaster, my main focus was deleting my information on the bomb. I knew Tony would want to use it as a weapon, which made sense, but I didn't want that. I needed to get rid of it all before it was too late and blood was on my hands. The Avengers had plenty of other weapons; they could use their own.

"What are you doing?"

"Deleting the program for the bomb, like I told you I would."

I hacked into the files, overriding systems and deleting all the information about the bomb I'd been forced to create. It took over my concentration, so I didn't notice when Steve walked out of the room and Tony started texting me furiously.

I worked until every file and every mention of my bomb was wiped from the internet. With a tired sigh, I lay back on the floor, feeling as if I'd just run a marathon. I felt a sense of accomplishment about what I'd done, but also a twinge of regret. I couldn't take back what I'd done, even if I wanted to, and though I knew I'd done the right thing, I didn't like the fact it was totally gone.

My phone started ringing and I lazily picked it up, putting it to my ear. "Yello?" I asked, pulling it away briefly to look at the caller id. It was Tony. Crap.

"What the fuck?"

"What?"

"You tried to delete all the files on your bomb?"

"Yes, I don't think its right. No one should have that kind of power. Wait…Tried?"

"Yes tried." He said, sounding slightly smug. "I brought it back." His tone turned serious. "We need this weapon to win."

Shocked, I shot up into a sitting position. I reopened my computer, checking to see if he really had recovered the files, which should have been impossible. To my chagrin, they were all there just as before. "Damn it!" I cursed. "No we have plenty of other weapons. I have to get rid of this one."

"Why?"

"Because it's mine." I went into the system, trying to hack everything back out again. It took me a second to think of a new method, but I quickly figured one out and adapted my technique. Tony was a genius, but so was I, and I was better.

Finally, the files disappeared. "Ha!" I said, knowing he was still on the line. "Take that!" I lay back on the floor, feeling pleased with myself.

"Don't get too confident, kid." He told me with a grunt.

"Why not?" I asked, filling my voice with fake disdain. "Give up. You're too old hat to keep up with the cool kids like me."

"No one says old hat."

"I'm bringing it back." The computer dinged suddenly and I watched as all the files returned. My mouth dropped in shock and annoyance. A new determination fueling my veins, I started deleting things with a new technique. Tony wasn't going to win this. "Give up before your pride gets hurt." I taunted him.

"I have pride because I'm the best at this."It didn't take him fifty seconds before my computer dinged and all the files were back. "And I don't plan on losing that reputation."

"Move on geezer." I grumbled, doing my own work again. I was slowly getting faster, but obviously not more effective. "Let in the new generation."

The files were quickly back. "I'm immortal- I'm in every generation."

"Yeah you're an immortal jackass." I took them away.

"Also one of the most beloved celebrities in the world." He recovered them.

"Only according to golddiggers and horny women. Otherwise people think you're a jerk." I deleted the files.

"Hate to tell you this kid but they don't have that great an opinion of you either. They believe you're taking their precious Capsicle." Eternally frustrating me, he brought back the information.

"The difference is that you give a damn what they think and I don't." I took them away. Slowly, I was tiring of this game. Even if I'd never admit it, I knew he had the upper hand. The stupid old man had way more years of experience than me with hacking, and I couldn't compete. If I wanted to win this, which I deeply did for many reasons, I'd have to try a new tactic.

"Who are you kidding? I don't need their opinion to know I'm the best." The files reappeared.

It took me a little longer to delete them again, my mind whirling to come up with a new solution. "Watch out that you don't fall into the water Narcissus."

While I waited for him to break the code, a new plan formulated in my head. I was wasting my time with tech, which he could barely outmatch me with, so why didn't I try another platform? With the enemy coming in days, I calculated there was no time to build a new bomb, even if the plans were intact. The most effective way to make it impossible for the Avengers to use my bomb in the battle would just be to destroy the bomb itself. Afterwards, I'd have time to figure out how to really rid the world of the memory of the bomb. I'd beat Tony's stupid intelligence with my physical strength …which, I realized belatedly, was at its lowest point right now. I'd need help.

"But I'm just so pretty." He said, the files returning.

This time however, I didn't bother to fix it. "Oh my fucking God!" I growled. "You know what; I'm done. You win. This is so stupid so I'm done." It was a total lie, but I felt I'd said it convincingly enough. I certainly didn't have to fake frustration.

I quickly hung up the phone sticking it in my pocket. I stood shakily, staggering to the door. I needed to get to the lab quickly, before Tony could take the bomb.

"Steve?" I called, wondering if he were still around the house. I'd lost track of him once I focused on the computer, but I couldn't think of any reason he'd of gone far.

"What's wrong?" Steve replied, emerging from the kitchen. I could see his shield on the kitchen counter with a bottle of some sort of cleaner beside it.

"I have to get to the lab." I wished I could curl up into a ball and sleep some more, but this was way more important.

"Why?"

"I have to destroy the bomb and it's not working with technology." I fished through my purse, trying to find my keys. When I pulled them out, I was startled as Steve grabbed them from my hand.

"I'll drive." He told me firmly. Normally, I would've resented the idea; I loved to drive and trusted no one with my car. But now I was just so exhausted that I wasn't sure I could actually drive straight.

"Fine. Just get me there fast."

He rolled his eyes. "I'll get you there at a legal speed."

I was already out the door, but it didn't take him much to catch up with me. We walked to the car and I sat in the passenger seat, too tired to feel strange about it.

In my pocket, I could hear my phone buzzing, probably Tony again, but I ignored it, instead leaning up against the passenger door and shutting my eyes.

Steve drove us to the lab at a painfully legal speed, boring me to death. In things like driving, I saw the law as more of a guideline.

I hurried, at a pace that really wasn't fast, to the door and opened it, reaching to turn on the light switch.

I froze when I realized the light was on and there were already several people in the lab, Tony at the center.

Tony looked up when I entered, a smug expression on his face. "I _knew_ you were lying."

"But…" I sputtered. "How did you know I'd come here?"

"Of course if you wanted to destroy the bomb then you'd come destroy the actual thing itself."

I glared at him, hating he'd figured it out. We really never could surprise each other, could we? "Yes I would. Please step aside."

His smile faded. "Nika, we need to have this bomb to save lives."

"No you don't. And in any case, it's mine so I decide what happens to it."

"It's too big of a deal to rest entirely on your shoulders. Don't the people who'll die get a say?"

"Don't the people who'll die when I shoot this get a say?" I shot back.

"They aren't people; they're aliens. And better them than us." Nat said, standing up from where she'd been leaning against a desk.

"Of course you'd say that." I sneered, getting rather irritated by their patronizing attitudes. They acted as if I were a little child who didn't know anything, but that wasn't the case. I'd seen more than enough death and hardships in my life to understand how the world worked. I just didn't want to be a part of it. "You have the morality of a brick."

She didn't even flinch. "Morality doesn't win a war."

"This is Nika's decision." Steve defended me, standing beside me.

"No it's-" Tony's reply was cut off by an explosion outside the room. The whole building rocked and I gripped a lab table for support.

"What was that?" I asked, glancing around the others to see if they had any clue. They all seemed just as confused as I was.

Tony's phone buzzed. "Avengers assemble." FRIDAY's voice said. "The city is under attack."

"They're early?" I asked drily, hiding the little spark of fear I felt. "Who could've seen that coming."

"We have to go." Steve said, ignoring my comment. He began to give the others orders, which he'd obviously planned out in advance, and called the others to tell them the same. None of them were really paying attention to me, so I sashayed towards the bomb, trying to be discreet.

Originally, I'd meant to destroy the bomb entirely and smelt the pieces, but I doubted I'd have time for that now. Thankfully, I knew the bomb better than any other person in the world, I'd invented it, so I knew how to disable it. And with battle going on, there'd be no time for Tony to figure out how to fix it.

Checking to make sure no one watched, I ripped out a single cord, effectively disabling it. I tossed it in a bin across the room.

I returned to my original spot, feeling the minor adrenaline rush from sneaking about fade. I just wanted to curl up and take a nap again, but the ground shook again, jolting me awake.

Nat and Bruce ran out, leaving just Tony, Steve, and I. Tony called his suit to him, moving to fly out.

"Wait!" I said, reaching out and grabbing a metal arm. He turned, opening the face mask. Though we'd fought, I could tell there weren't really any hard feelings. I was glad; he was possibly going to his death and I didn't want our last conversation to be a fight. "Don't fucking die. I don't want to be an orphan."

He smirked, closing the mask back up. "Don't worry about me kid. I've died before in a battle like this, but I came back." I wasn't totally sure, but I thought I heard a slight tremor in his voice. I didn't have time to ask about it before he flew off, leaving me and Steve alone.

"Don't you dare die either." I told him, embracing him tightly. "Or get enclosed in ice. I don't know what I'd do without you." I pulled away slightly, looking up at his face. "Besides, you owe me a wedding."

He smiled softly. "I wouldn't miss it." He told me seriously. His lips pressed against mine too quickly before he had to leave.

I watched him go with more nerves than I'd ever had when he went to fight. I didn't know all the details, but I knew this was the biggest force the Avengers had faced. There was a high probability we could lose.

Over the past two years, I'd become friends pretty much just with the Avengers, so I had literally no one to be with me right then. I felt so lonely and scared, wishing I could help somehow, but I couldn't, especially considering how I felt physically.

I leaned against the wall and slid down, closing my eyes to sleep. I just wanted to sleep and wake with it all over.

My mind drifted into the mindless land of sleep for only a few minutes before I was startled awake by a knock on the door.

"Come in?" I said, groggily opening my eyes.

I expected it to be Steve or Wanda or even an enemy alien I'd just invited inside, but instead a small blonde haired woman walked in.

"Courtney?" I asked, my eyebrow furrowing. What the hell was she doing here?

"Hey Nika…I know this is weird and stuff but I… it's terrifying outside!" She spat out her words all at once, making it hard for my sleepy mind to understand her. "It's hell all over again! And I didn't know what to do and I was near here so I came to you because… I don't know… you were always just better in situations like this. And you're probably used to this. Help me!"

"Whoa whoa!" I complained. "Slow down. How did you know I'd be here?"

Her cheeks pinked a little. "Uh… I'm a gossip reporter. I know where you are a lot."

"So you were stalking me?"

"Reporting on you."

I probably should've been creeped out, but I didn't have the energy. "Right."

"So what do you plan on doing?" She asked, plopping down beside me like nothing awkward just transpired. She hugged her knees to her chest.

"Me? Nothing."

She stared at me incredulously. "You? Not doing anything?"

"Why does that surprise you?"

"Because you're always the one with the plan. I'd think you'd be annoyed to not have control over this situation."

That thought had been grating on the edge of my mind, but I didn't have energy to do anything about it. "Not this time. The Avengers will take care of it."

"Come on you can't just do nothing!"

I leaned my head against the wall heavily. "Did you come here just to bother me?"

"No… I came here for safety."

"Why didn't you go to Kevin?" I tried to ignore the pang saying his name gave me.

"That's the thing. He's- he's gone." She promptly burst into tears, but I was too shocked to notice . Kevin was _gone_? The thought made it hard to breathe. I hated to admit it, but I cared so much about him. I'd barely seen him in years, but hearing he was dead felt as if a knife had just been inserted and turned in my heart. Was I to lose everything this week that I ever loved? Kevin was gone. My baby was gone. What was next? Steve?

The thought set my heart beating wildly in my chest and I couldn't not do anything anymore. I jumped to my feet, grabbing my phone off the desk and turning it on.

I'd thought the damage was confined to New York City, like a repeat of the Battle of New York, but this was much bigger. It was a full scale invasion of the whole planet. Every major city was target, probably seeking to kill the most people first.

Giant black ships covered each city, blocking out the sun as if it were an eternal night. I understood now why Courtney was so afraid. *

Brushing past Courtney, I ran out of the room, wanting to see it for myself. What I found outside was worse than I could imagine. Already, tons of building had been destroyed and debris clouds rose from the streets like a sandstorm. I watched, horrified, as an innocent woman and family were gunned down by some sort of alien weapon.

Heart pounding, I went back inside and slammed the door. My mind rushed to come up with solutions, but I couldn't see anything. Except… my bomb.

I'd wanted so badly to destroy it, but now I wasn't so sure anymore. The woman's face flashed in my mind again, triggering crippling guilt. If I kept my conscience clear from death, I'd be sending thousands to their own death. I had to do something.

I ran to my machine, grabbing the cord and reattaching it. I calculated from the pictures of the ship that its motor was in the center so I'd have to find a way to shoot the bomb into that. Which would be difficult considering it weighed a solid hundred pounds and wasn't built to be lifted from the ground. I wished I'd thought of that before.

I needed some sort of aircraft, some way to lift it. "Oh!" I exclaimed, the answer popping into my head.

"What?" Courtney asked. I'd nearly forgotten she was there.

"Oh. Uh. I'm going to fix this up."

"What is it?"

"A bomb."

"You made a bomb? I thought you don't made weapons."

"I don't."

"Then why-"

"Shut up." I hissed at her, using my phone to tap into the Avengers comms with each other.

"Yo. Sam?" I asked, wondering if they could hear me over the sound of explosions.

"Nika?"

"Got a minute?"

"A little busy kicking alien ass. What do you need?"

"I need the schematics of your wings."

"Why? You plan on flying?"

"It's not me I'm trying to make something fly."

"You're making a way for the fucking bomb to fly aren't you?" Tony asked, cutting in.

"What the fuck. How do you know that?" I sighed, feeling as if I'd lost once again. We really never could surprise each other.

"Just a guess."

"Well, whatever. And yes I am, so I need those schematics as soon as possible. Do you know where I could find them?"

"I don't know. I just wear them."

"Wow what a help you are Sam." I sighed, turning on my own computer and beginning to search for the plans myself. I kept the comms on, wanting to hear if anything important happened.

It took a little bit of hacking but I finally found the design of the wings on an archive on a secure government site. I quickly pulled up a holoscreen, trying to convert the propulsion system of the wings into something I could use for the bomb. Occasionally, bombs would shake the building or one of the Avengers would yell something, but otherwise I was pretty honed in on my task. Courtney stayed in her corner, shaking and rocking on her heels. I tried not to think of the news she brought, even if it were the reminder that made me start my work.

It took a lot of cursing and failed tries later before I finally figured out a temporary solution from the bomb. I rummaged around the lab, trying to get everything to work. It wasn't easy work, considering I'd thrown it together in literally half an hour, but it would do.

"How am I going to get this outside?" I muttered to myself, my body protesting at the thought. I doubted I could even lift the hundred pound object when I was totally healthy.

An explosion rocked the building with greater strength than ever before, sending the windows, part of the ceiling, and everything inside flying across the room. I fell onto my side, the whole world spinning and my ears ringing. It took a second before I could comprehend my situation, feeling completely shocked. I certainly hadn't seen that coming.

Eyes opening slowly and looking around, I assessed the situation. Obviously, a bomb had hit near my lab, destroying the lab by its proximity. Despite the power of the blow, most of the lab was thankfully intact, including myself and the bomb across the room . I could see it from my position on the floor and I tried to pull myself to my feet and go towards it. I needed to set it off and plant the others in other cities before this carnage got worse.

Despite my best efforts, my legs just wouldn't seem to move. I glanced down, noticing for the first time the heavy metal beam across the back on my legs. Little shards of glass have bounced off the material, sinking into my flesh. I reeled at the sight, quickly looking away. I couldn't get out of this myself; I needed help.

"Hello?" I called, hoping one of the Avengers could hear me over the phone. I couldn't see my phone, so it probably either fell harmlessly on the floor or shattered into pieces. I hoped for the former.

"Nika? What happened?" One of them asked. My ear still rang and I couldn't quite distinguish who it was, but I was glad at least someone could hear me.

"There was an explosion." I said, clearing my throat to steady it. "And the lab kinda exploded."

"Are you alright?" I felt pretty sure the voice was Tony now.

"I'll live, but I can't move. I'm pinned under a pole." I laughed drily. "It'd be nice to have superpowers or a metal suit right now."

"I am nearby. I will come help." Wanda's voice said.

I nodded, forgetting they couldn't see me. "Oh. Uh, thanks."

Steve rejoined the conversation, sounding concerned. "What happened? Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine. Go on fighting."

"Did you say earlier you were remaking the bomb?"

"Yes. I feel I have to."

"Why? Weapons of that size can be dangerous."

"I know. I just can't let anyone else die."

Across the room, the space where the door used to be shifted with a red glow. Wanda emerged behind the rubble, looking exhausted and beat up but still as determined as ever.

I tried to smile reassuringly, but pain was slowly overcoming shock in my body, and each cut on my legs burned.

Wanda looked over at me, quickly raising her hands and raising the beam with her witch magic. I sighed in relief, rolling over onto my back. She walked over, giving me a hand up and glancing around with concern.

"Go. Work. I will watch your back." She told me, nodding to the bomb. I didn't hesitate, stumbling over to it and kneeling before it. I added a few finishing touches, tweaking it a little before pressing the 'on' button. I rolled aside as the bottom of the metal object erupted in flame and flew up into the sky. The heat scorched my arms, but I was too relieved to feel it. I stayed on my back, watching sedately as the bomb headed straight for the core of the ship above me. A small part of me worried something would miss or that I'd miscalculated, but I pushed away the feeling, remembering that I never messed up.

The projectile flew straight into the hole in the bottom of the ship, causing me to sharply draw in breath as I waited. For an eternity, nothing happened, but, finally, clouds of fire exploded from the spaceship. They multiplied, eventually filling the entire ship above. It tilted to the side, falling towards the water on the side of the city.

"Yes!" I said, pumping my fist in the air.

"It isn't over yet." Wanda reminded me, helping me again to my feet. I wished I could keep lying there, but I knew she was right. This ship, large as it may seem, was only one of many. I had to use the missiles on the other ones.

Something squealed on the other side of the room, and I turned just in time to see Courtney dive in front of a shot from a stray enemy alien. She fell to her knees, clutching her stomach.

"Courtney!" I exclaimed, horrified. While Wanda ran after the alien to kill him, I ran beside Courtney, kneeling in front of her. Already, her eyes were glazed, but she smiled softly at me.

"You know, I hate the fact that I'm dying for you." She sputtered, blood clouding her mouth. "I was always jealous of you, still am really. I wanted to outlive you so I could feel as if I had the upper hand in at least that."

I laughed, but tears gathered in the corners of my eyes. She really was dying, else she never would've admitted that. It was strange to finally hear the truth I'd known all along come from her lips. For all the flattery and the kindness, I knew deep down she really didn't like me. And I never liked her. "I'm sorry I lived then. I should've given you at least one victory."

"Yeah you should've, bitch."

"Watch out or those will be your…" Her head lolled to the side, making shivers run down my spine. "…last words."

I let her body drop to the floor, recoiling in shock. I didn't feel sad per se, just like a part of me I didn't really like was gone. Kevin and Courtney represented my past, which I'd thought I was over, but now that they were dead, it felt even more formal. I didn't have to be the crazy party girl who drank til she dropped; I could be anyone I wanted to be. I didn't have any attachments to that old me.

Wanda returned, knocking me out of my stupid self revelations. She froze in the doorway, noticing the body on the floor. "What happened? Who is that?" She asked.

I shook my head, backing away from the body. "It's…not important. Right now we just need to fix all this. Fix everything."

"What is your plan?"

"I have to make more of these, while I can, and then send them out into the cities and the eventually the spacecraft. It shouldn't take long; I just don't want to be disturbed."

Wanda smirked. "We can make sure of that."

 _*Bit of an Independence Day vibe here_


	28. Chapter 28: I am Nika Stark

**A/N: Alright guys- this is the final chapter! :( :( :( I can't believe I've actually uploaded a whole story and finished something. I plan on adding an epilogue to this and potentially a sequel if I can motivate myself to do it. For the epilogue I thought I'd let you guys chose what you wanted more (since I haven't really decided myself)- would you prefer it to be Steve and Nika centered or Tony and Nika centered? Leave a comment and tell me which one you choose! Well, I guess this is goodbye for now. Thank you for the support and followers! Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel or anyone except Nika Stark.**

Two hours later, I found myself surrounded by the full force of the Avengers while Tony and I worked on creating more bombs. It seemed all the smashing and attacking had gotten them nowhere, so now the only option left was my bomb.

The spaceship above New York City had fallen into the ocean, leaving behind hundreds of angry aliens still trying to take the city. With the army on call and the Avengers, they didn't stand a chance, but they still managed to be pests. The Earthen forces could repel the aliens on the ground, so now the cities only awaited my bombs before our forces would take them down.

Each bomb normally would've taken five hours to build, but I had sixteen bombs to build and only about an hour, making me work at a far more inexhaustible speed. I couldn't pretend alcohol didn't help with this, but I didn't totally depend on it. I felt more freed from it than I had been in years.

"What next?" Pietro asked, startling me out of my thoughts. He'd been zipping around, doing odd jobs for me and Tony extra quickly while the others fought outside. Without him, I wasn't sure we actually could have finished in time.

"Put this here and that there." I said, pointing to a metal bar and a space on our assembly line of bombs.

"Isn't that one of the few pieces left?" Tony asked, glancing up from the chemical solution he was making.

"Yep. We're almost done." I sighed, running a hand through my messy hair. My focus remained mostly on just finishing the project, but I could feel a little twinge of excitement and joy for what I was doing. "Is this what saving the world feels like?" If it was, I rather liked the feeling and wanted to keep it. I didn't feel like such a horrible person.

"Don't know. I'm pretty much a veteran of it now, so I don't feel anything." He remarked with a roll of his eyes.

"Sorry for being a newb then." I told him with a snort.

With a clap of joy, I watched as Pietro added the final pieces and Tony poured in the solution. It was finally finished; I was going to be the cause of lives saved.

"You really are new at this." Tony told me.

"Why?"

"Never get too excited. Nothing ever goes to plan."

"What do you do when it doesn't?"

Just after he spoke, a loud explosion sounded outside. The already fragile walls of the labs crumpled at the edges, revealing the dirty outdoors and the Avengers fighting the vast alien army. I hadn't realized, but apparently they'd noticed we'd condensed to this building and sent their full force at us in a last ditch effort. That really put a kink in my 'carry the bombs through the streets to the airport plan'.

Tony smirked at me, putting down the visor on the Iron Man suit. "You improvise."

He flew off into the fray, joining the others. I watched him go, the wheels in my mind whirling. How was I going to get this stuff there despite the crowd?

Aliens managed to teem into the actual lab, so I grabbed a gun from off one of the tables. My hand shook as I held it, but after a bit of hesitation, I fired the gun at the alien. Instead of the crippling guilt I expected to feel, I barely put thought into it. Maybe the old saying that killing gets easier really was true, much as I hated to think that.

I kept firing the gun, shooting at any hostile I found. They nearly overwhelmed me, surrounding me on every side, but I fought them off best I could, throwing punches and kicks when I was close enough. The only problem was when the gun slowly ran out of ammunition.

All too soon, I tried to fire and nothing happened. I dropped the gun, tossing it aside. I wasn't really one for fighting hand-to-hand, but it was all I had right now against the alien's scythe. I was just thankful their guns had run out of energy too.

I bared my fist, ready to fight despite the odds, but a large hammer suddenly split through the crowd, killing lots of aliens in its path. Thor fought his way towards me, ending up beside me with his hammer swinging. "Need help Lady Stark?" He asked between blows.

"Actually my name…nevermind. Thanks for the help." I tried not to sound too grateful, but I really was. Now I had time to breathe and think again. While he fought in front of me, I grabbed a leg from a broken lab table and starting swinging it at the few aliens who got close to me.

"I've got it!" I said, a plan suddenly forming in my head.

"What have you received?" Thor questioned, glancing back at me.

"An idea of-" I paused to knock an alien out of the way, "-how to move the bombs."

"What is this plan?"

"The Quinjets can land practically anywhere. I'll just fly them here rather than take the bombs there."

"That seems a very valiant idea."

"Uh sure?" I looked over the broken walls, trying to figure out how exactly I would get to the Quinjets, which were half a city away. Considering the vast amount of army still left, it didn't seem an easy task.

Hoisting a crow bar in my arms, I started forwards, killing everything in my path. It was a miracle, really, that I didn't get hurt just going out of the building, but I managed to survive almost unscathed.

There was no way I could get though the crowds on my own, so I soldiered my way to Steve, who wasn't too far away.

"Steve," I said breathlessly, swinging my weapon against an alien who tried to hit me with his scythe. "I need to get out of this mess and to the Quinjets."

He opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly closed it and threw his shield at me. I neatly jumped to the side, but it flew over me anyways, hitting an alien who'd nearly sliced through my head without me noticing.

"You need to go back inside! It's not safe for you out here!" He told me, catching the shield in one hand and taking a protective stance in front of me.

"I don't need to be safe." I huffed. "I need to get to the Quinjets or people will die!"

He stared at me, initiating a silent battle with our eyes. It didn't take long before he smirked and I knew I'd won; he wasn't against a woman being strong every once and a while.

Without a word, he fought his way forward, trying to help me. I followed behind him, keeping near and swinging my crowbar. In all honestly, I wasn't cut out for this physically or mentally, but I needed to do it anyway.

Soon, Steve and I were separated and I resisted the urge to scream when an alien reached out and swiped at my face. I pushed him back, but not without a small scratch forming on my forehead. Steve turned around just too late, his eyes lighting up in anger when he saw me get hurt.

But before he could come help me, he was bombarded on all sides. I was by myself, which was honestly hopeless.

Just before I considered what it'd be like to die, arrows pierced the skulls of all the aliens around me and Clint leaned nimbly beside me from his perch on a nearby building. "Need some help?" He asked.

I huffed in relief. "Yeah somehow a crowbar seems an inadequate weapon for this."

He tossed me a gun from one of the aliens, something I should've thought of a while ago. "You should try a bow next time."

"Hopefully there won't be a next time."

"Less chatting, more keeping your asses from getting whooped." Natasha swooped in, shooting down two of the alien that had nearly reached us.

"I can do both!" Clint pointed out, proving his point by firing an explosive arrow towards a group of enemies while he spoke. It exploded, killing them and destroying everything nearby.

"Well I can't! I have to go." I shot my way forwards, going for speed rather than accuracy. I wasn't going to survive much longer in the thick of things.

With the two of them behind me, I was on my own shooting and running. Thankfully, the further I got, the more soldiers there were, so I became slowly safer. Bullets rained by my side from the police, making me flinch away. They would have hit me, but a blue blur pushed me out of the way and landed heavily on my body.

"What are you doing?" Pietro said, jumping up from on top of me. He pointed accusingly at the police. "Does she look like an alien you idiots?"

They looked at other guiltily before turning the other way and shooting again.

"Are you alright?" Pietro asked, offering me a hand up.

"You weigh as much as a fucking boulder." I took the hand, testing my limbs to make sure they still worked.

He laughed. "A very attractive boulder though." He glanced around, flashing away and tossing a metal rod through an alien. "What are you doing out here?"

"I'm trying to get to the Quinjets. It is taking a little longer than I anticipated."

"You should've just said so. I can get you there fast."

"Uh, no. I'd rather keep my lunch thank you. I-" Pietro cut off my wishes, sweeping me off my feet and running off. I closed my eyes, trying not to think about the speed at which I was going and what would happen to me if he happened to drop me.

After barely thirty seconds, Pietro finally let me go, catching my arms before I fell over. "That was fun, yes?" He asked.

I glared at him. "If by fun you mean horrifying then yes." I stumbled on my feet once before finally getting my bearings. Pietro's speed hadn't failed before and it didn't now; I was already at the Avengers Airfield with the Quinjets.

I walked towards them, going through my flight training in my head. Well, more like my online flight training, which wasn't quite the same thing, but I knew I could figure it out.

"You go back to the battle and I'll meet you there. Flying."

"How are you going to pilot both Quinjets?" Pietro asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Uh…" I hadn't thought of that. "Maybe I'll just remote control one from the other." That'd be completely complicated and probably pretty stupid, but it was the best plan I could think of.

A clunk sounded on the pavement behind me and I swiveled around, gun at the ready. Slowly, I lowered it, recognizing Rhodes wearing his War Machine suit.

He removed the face mask. "Need another pilot?" He asked.

"How did you know that?"

He tapped his ear. "I hear everything Pietro and you say over comms."

"Hmm. Let's get going then."

He nodded tersely, running off to the Quinjet on the right while I went left.

"Good luck!" Pietro called before speeding back off to the battle.

I boarded the plane, sitting down in the control seat. There were lots of knobs and buttons, but once I'd gotten bored and read the training manual for the plane, so I more or less knew what they all did. I hoped.

Turning on the comms so I could talk to the others and Rhodes, I shakily took the plane into the air. It took a second to adjust to the strange controls, but I quickly adapted and had the Quinjet smoothly flying in the air. Rhodes pulled out beside me, asking me over the line what I wanted him to do.

"We have to get back to the lab. I'm going to put the bombs on the planes and fire them off in the other cities." I said, slowing down when we got closer to the lab.

When it was in sight, I lowered the plane as low as I could without hitting something. I'd wanted to be on the ground, but there just wasn't room. Communicating with the others to try and break free of the battle and help put the bombs in the cargo, I opened the door to the cargo hold and locked the controls to stay at the same height.

Mostly with the help of guys with mechanical and physical strength, we managed to lift at the bombs onto both planes. The others fended off the rest of the aliens, whose numbers were slowly dwindling.

With a twist on the controls, I lifted the plane back in the air and flew towards the next city, coordinating with Rhodes so he'd go to different one.

While I set off bombs in the cities, the other Avengers finished off the aliens in NYC then followed my tracks to take care of the surviving aliens after I bombed the mother ships down. Everything worked more or less smoothly, which was surprising considering all the problems my plans usually had.

Even though we were fixing everything, the damage had been done. Thousands of lives had been lost and the major cities were all damaged well beyond anything they'd seen before. The landscape of America and the world would be forever changed.

And so was I. In the course of twenty four hours, I'd miscarried, destroyed a bomb, created a bomb, fought a war, and saved as many lives as I could. I should've been elated and proud, but really I just wanted a nap.

I put the airplane in cruise control, leaning back in the chair and closing my eyes.

"Nika?" Steve asked over the comms. "Are you ok?"

I smiled sleepily. "A little rest and I will be. This isn't over though."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm Nika Stark, and there's nothing I can't overcome. I just saved the world, and I plan to do it again."


End file.
